The Razor’s Edge
by writeroneday
Summary: A quiet night in town proves not to be that quiet. Chris is spirited out of town, and the hunt is on.
1. Chapter 1

As always, I make no money from these. The Seven Magnificent men don't belong to me. My reward is writing about them. Please leave a review, if you don't like it, please tell me why. If you do like it, tell me why. This is how I learn. Hope you enjoy.

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The Town of Four Corners was lit up for a Saturday night. The watch fires burned bright on Main Street. The Mercantile store had stayed open late for the families who live way out and had to travel most of the day to get there, it had closed an hour after sunset. The off key music of the piano drifted from the Saloon along with voices of laughter.

Ezra sat dealing the cards. His darkish colored hair, ranging sometimes from a reddish dark brown to chestnut was neatly combed. He wore a red coat this evening, it being Saturday and all. A white shirt with a red trimmed French ruffle at the cuff lay under the coat; it was good quality linen. He had paid an excellent price for it. He wore a reddish brown ascot with a ruby stick pin held it in place. He knew he cut quite a figure amongst these cowhands and drifters. But he had a paradigm and he would not lower himself, he was a gentleman. He would not allow this temporary ascendancys to change that.

There were three new players in town and he had all of them sitting around the table with him. It had taken him the better part of an hour to figure each one of them out. The man to his right, Arnold, when he had a good hand he would scratch under his right eye. The man to Arnold's right, Jim, when he had a good hand he would shuffle his feet under the table and move the cards from his right hand to his left and back again. The man to Jim's right, Darwin had been the most challenging. To Ezra, the man, was an abomination. Darwin could not sit still; he sniffed, rubbed his eye brows, rubbed his nose, scratched, belched and did other grotesque things. Darwin was not a gentleman in any sense of the word, but he did do one thing that allowed toleration of all these things, he could not play poker. The man had money, and the man lost well and it was only when he had a good hand did he sit still for a second.

Ezra set the deck of cards in front of him and picked up his hand. He did the same thing each time he picked his hand up. He thumbed the five cards so he could see what his hand was; he never fanned them all the way open. He glanced down at them and then with a practiced ease he looked at the other men at the table. He had a pair of Aces, a Queen of hearts and two two's. Looking at Arnold he saw the man was looking at his cards real hard, which meant he had nothing. Looking at Jim he saw a small shift in the man's eyes, it meant he had Jacks or under. Looking at Darwin he felt his heart quicken. The man was twitching like he was sitting on a hot rock again. It meant he had nothing and he would bet big.

Arnold passed, Jim opened and the rest threw their dollars into the pot.

Ezra once more glanced at his hand, arranged the card he would get rid of and set the hand down. Picking up the deck, he turned that charming smile on, raised an eye brow. "Cards gentlemen?" His soft southern accents drifted through the din of the noise of the crowd. He looked questioningly at Arnold.

Arnold mulled the cards over, picked three then picked the fourth and threw them down on the table. "Four ..." He watched as Ezra dealt him four cards.

Jim saw Ezra look to him. "Three Mr. Standish..." Jim threw his three down and watched as Ezra dealt the cards out.

"I'll stay with the ones I got..." Darwin ran his hand over his face, pushed up in his chair, wiped at his nose with the sleeve of his shirt and burped.

Ezra's smile curled tightly as he tried to keep the disdain out of his voice. "Of course you will." He set the deck down, picked up his hand, took the one card and threw it onto the table. "The dealer will take one." He took one card off the top of the deck in front of him and gathered his hand. He had dealt himself another Queen, of spades this time.

He looked to Arnold, the man still had nothing, he looked at Jim the man still had a pair of something's and Darwin was twitching like a cow in heat. He looked back at Jim as the man placed twenty dollars in the pot.

Jim smiled across the table at Ezra. "I think your bluffing with that one card draw."

Darwin looked at the money he had left in front of him and counted out twenty and pushed it into the pot. "I'm in" he had another twenty left.

Ezra had not taken his eyes off Jim; he counted twenty dollars out then matched it with another twenty. "It will cost to see if I am bluffing then..." He pushed the forty dollars into the pot.

"To rich for me" Arnold threw his cards to the table.

Jim pushed another twenty to the pot and then another twenty. "I still think you don't have it!" He pushed back in his chair slightly, which he had done the last time he had caught Ezra bluffing.

Ezra's expression never changed his smile fixed. He had hoped this would happen. Ezra had gotten the impression that Jim thought he was a poker player.

"I only got twenty left, don't have forty." Darwin's voice was whiney.

Ezra never took his eyes off Jim. "Well then sir I would say you are out of the game." Ezra hesitated just a split second and then pushed two twentys into the pot, his expression still unreadable. "And Sir, it will cost you another twenty to procure the outcome of this suspenseful game of chance." His southern accent purred. His eyes still fixed on Jim's

Darwin looked at Ezra as if he had spit fire from his mouth. "What's that mean?"

He saw Ezra's head turn toward him, the green smiling eyes seemed to change color, going almost deep green, there was cold anger in them now. "It means you should not play poker Mr. Akins."

Ezra looked back across the table at Jim and waited.

Jim looked at his hand, looked at Ezra and then back at his hand, he pushed twenty more into the pot "Call you Mr. Standish." He laid his hand down, face up. He had a pair of Queens.

Ezra's expression went back to a smile. "Two pair, Ace high." He laid his cards down on the table and allowed every one to see them. He reached forward and scraped the money toward him, gathering it all in. He pushed the cards toward Arnold. "I believe it is your deal sir..." Ezra shuffled the money into a neat stack.

"Naw, I had enough for this evening... Need to see if'n I can get a bed for the night." Arnold stood up, pocketing the last of his money. "Least I got a little left." He smiled and walked off.

Darwin took the last few dollars he had and tipped his hat to Jim and gave Ezra a hard look. He had a feeling he had been insulted but durn if he knew how. He hurried after Arnold.

Ezra poured whiskey into the shot glass at his elbow and lifted the bottle in a gesture to the man sitting across from him. He saw Jim nod his acceptance of a drink and he reached across the table and filled the shot glass.

Ezra's vision was distracted for a brief moment as the batwing doors opened and Vin Tanner pushed his way into the bar.

Vin threaded his way through the crowd. His hat was pulled down low, the blondish hair not covered by the hat was damp, the leather and cloth jacket he wore was damp. He really wished this dam rain would let up. He found a place at the bar and smiled at the bartender. "Gut warmer, Fred." He fished a coin out of his front pocket and put it on the top of the bar. He watched as the glass was set in front of him and the amber colored liquor filled the glass. He nodded to Fred as the man turned and walked on down the bar. Vin had just come in from walking the streets and checking on the few shops that were still in business. Half this town was boarded up. It had finally gotten a blacksmith to stay. Vin was glad. He didn't mind shoeing his horse but it was easier to pay someone a couple bits and get it done. He picked up the shot glass and took half of the liquid down. Feeling it chase the damp and cold away. He leaned one leathered clad elbow against the bar top and turned and faced the crowd.

His blue eyes scanned the group. Ezra was at the card tables with a new fellar in town. Josiah was in a far corner reading something. JD and Nathan were sitting with Josiah and the kid looked like he wasn't enjoying the conversation. He didn't see Buck, but Buck was probably upstairs with one of the saloon girls. And he didn't see Chris. Fact is he hadn't seen Chris since early that morning. He finished the drink and set the glass back behind him with another coin. He heard the piano player change tunes.

Hooking both elbows on the bar top he placed his hands across his stomach and hooked his thumbs into his waist band. He drew in a deep breath and with it the smell of sweat, the odor of men, smoke and cattle. He heard his coin scraped across the bar top and he turned and picked up the full shot glass and downed the whole shot in one practiced move. He felt all the chill and damp leave his body. He set the glass down and headed for the doors, there were just too many people. He'd go across the street and listen to the music

Vin walked across the muddy street and took a chair in front of the Mercantile. He had worked here for four days before he gotten a different job and a new group of friends. He dropped into the chair. He was completely in the darkness and he knew as long as he didn't move he would remain invisible. He drew in a shallow breath, held it for a second and then slowly let it out. His feet were propped on the seat of the other chair and his hands were across his stomach, thumbs hooked into the waist band of his pants.

He listened to the sounds of the town. He could see the lamp from the Clarion newspaper shining through the window. Mrs. Travis was working late.

There was a song change on the piano, the song picked up in tempo and he realized it was Buffalo Girl. He shifted his gaze to the hotel as a man came out and stood there for a minute then turned and went back inside. He tapped his foot in time with the song. He saw the light go out at the Clarion and Mrs. Travis appeared in the darkened door way, the watch fire was near burned down in front of her place. He watched as she crossed the muddy street quickly and went into the hotel for some reason.

Two of the horses tied to the rail in front of the Saloon had a little squealing match, some shuffling of hooves and then they were quiet. He glanced up, looking the skyline of the roof tops. He thought he had heard a noise.

Out of the corner of his eye down at the far end of town he saw a figure exit the stable. Even from this distance he knew it was Chris. The flat crowned hat, the long black duster. Apparently Chris had ridden out somewhere and was just getting back in.

Vin watched as the man walked up the middle of the street, he knew Chris was heading for the Saloon. Vin decided he would wait until Chris got to him before he'd hail him.

He watched him walk toward the middle of the wet street. There was a surety to the way Chris walked, a confidence that without even seeing the piercing green eyes or the square set jaw said this was a man not to be ignored. This was a dangerous man.

Vin had known that the first time he had seen him, standing across the street from each other. Vin in that split second had seen a man he knew he could stand shoulder to shoulder within the gates of Hell and shoot their way out or in.

He smiled at that thought. He also knew there was another side to Chris, the side he had seen when JD had wanted to join them. A mere kid looking for adventure and thinking he was tough and ready. Chris had sent him away, not wanting to see the young man's guts spilled. Course he hadn't stayed gone, he was like a pesky dog, just kept coming back, Buck had taken him in under his wing and mothered him like an old cow. He smiled at that thought.

Chris Larabee was now almost abreast of where Vin was hidden in the shadows. Vin silently, dropped his feet to the porch. "Hey...cowboy!" He called it out softly, laughter in his west Texas accent. He started to stand.

Chris heard the voice, recognized it, a smile on his face at the jab of the word _cowboy. _He started to turn toward where the voice had come from. One of Vin's favorite places to sit after dark. The crack of a high power rifle ripped through the night. Chris felt a white hot pain stab through his head, the blow from the bullet knocked him off his feet and he was slammed onto the muddy street.

The sound of the rifle going off was like a shock wave. Vin had seen the stab of flame from the barrel of the rifle, knowing by the sound of the report it was a Sharps 50. He came to his feet like a cat and drew his sawed off Winchester from the holster on his right hip, he levered a shell into the chamber and raised it up.

The flame stabbed again, wood splintered just to his left. Vin never flinched, he squeeze the trigger and saw the figure on the roof jerk.

Men were pouring out of the saloon at the sound of shooting.

Vin stepped out into the muddy street, keeping an eye on the roof top he ran toward Chris, who was laying almost in the middle of the street.

There were several voices speaking at once, but Vin recognized two distinct ones, Josiah's booming voice and Nathan's. Vin started to kneel next to Chris's prone body. "Shot came from the roof of---." The boom went off again and he was slammed over the top of Chris's body. Pain seared through his hip.

There was a barrage of gun's being fired and as Vin tried to sit up he saw the top of the building he had fired at just seconds ago become shredded with bullets.

He saw JD and Josiah running to the back of that building where the stairs were. And then Nathan was kneeing in front of him.

"Where ya hit?" Nathan tried to see in the darkness.

"Look to Chris...He ain't moved!" Vin felt helping hands get him to his feet. It felt like the bullet had seared across the fleshy spot just above his left hip.

"You there, and you..." Nathan pointed to a couple men. "Help us lift Chris" he looked at Ezra as he arrived. "Ezra take his other arm, let's get him to my room...Come on men, let's go"

Ezra and one of the two men Nathan had called out to bent to help, the third moved a step back. "I ain't taking no orders from no---"

Vin's sawed off Winchester found it's way into the man's rib cage. "Well then take orders from this...!" His Texas accent was very heavy, his voice a soft snarl. He saw the man's eyes widen, his mouth snapped shut and he immediately bent and helped lift Chris.

Vin, favoring his side followed the procession, keeping an eye toward the roof from where the attack had come from. He saw Josiah's tall figure show itself briefly and then disappear. And then they were heading up the stairs to Nathan's rooms.

Nathan directed Chris's body laid on the bed, he lit the extra lamps he had in his room. He nodded to the one man who had helped and glared at the other one, but right now he didn't have time to worry about a predacious man.

He grabbed his medical satchel and brought one of the lamps toward the bed. "Ezra, grab a couple more lamps and put them there on that bedside table." he glanced at Vin as the other men left the room. "Vin sit down in that chair."

Vin knew better then to argue with him, he sat, suddenly glad he had. The pain in his side was beginning to smart. He glanced down at his side and saw a very large red stain spreading. He pulled his jacket over the blood, not wanting the others to see. He wanted Chris attended to.

Ezra set two of the eight lamps down and gathered two more. He stood on the other side of the bed from Nathan and waited. He looked down at the pale muddy, blood smeared face.

The door burst open.

Three guns were drawn and pointed at the door before Buck could step into the room. "Wowww---!" He put his empty hands out in front of him.

"Mr. Wilmington, I believe you should have knocked under the circumstances!" Ezra holstered his right hand gun, his soft southern accent breaking the tension in the room.

"Damn Buck..." Vin shook his head, pushing his hat back on his head with the barrel of the Winchester. "You just about got shot." He laid the short rifle across his lap, not trusting his now shaking hand to holster the weapon.

"JD said Chris was shot I---" He stepped into the room, his face blanching white as he saw his friend laid out on the bed.

Nathan had holstered his gun and went back to looking at the head wound.

There was a gash about the length of Nathan's little finger. The furrow was on Chris's forehead right at the hair line above his left eye. "Ezra, there's a bowl and water pitcher under the table." Nathan saw Ezra reach for them. Nathan grabbed the towels he had under the other bedside table, the one he used for cleaning wounds.

"What the Hell happened?" Buck moved to the foot of the bed, looking around the room for an explanation.

"Somebody ambushed Chris from the top of that boarded up building next to the Saloon." Vin felt like some one else was answering Buck with his voice.

He suddenly felt like the room was getting real crowded and hot. He looked toward the still open door and thought about going outside, but he didn't move, he just sat there. He looked toward the bed; he could just see Chris's face. Leaning back in the chair he felt a strange sensation wash over him.

"He's gonna have one hell of a headache when he wakes up." Nathan had cleaned most of the mud and blood from Chris's face. He felt Chris start to stir. "He's starting to come around."

He laid a damp cloth over Chris's forehead. "Vin, he was hit just once right?" Nathan started to check the rest of Chris's body. He glanced over his shoulder at where Vin was sitting but Buck was blocking his view.

"Vin did---"

Josiah and JD came into the open door. "We brung a body down, but I think there were two people up there." Josiah stepped into the room.

"Looks like Vin's bullet took the first guy out, right through the heart." JD stepped around Josiah, his dark eyes wide with excitement.

"How's Chris?" Josiah gave JD a long look, letting his comment go.

Nathan felt for Chris' pulse, it was strong and regular. He felt his arm twitch. "Chris, its Nathan, we're all here, come on, wake up." He had seen a lot of men in the war not wake up from head wounds not half a deep as this one was.

"Chris can you hear me?" He saw Chris's eyelids flutter, felt an indrawn breath. "You got shot….You're in my room...We're all here...Chris?" He saw the eyes close. "No, come on Chris---wake up---come on." He gave his arm a hard squeeze. He felt resistance to the squeeze. He did it again and saw a pair of green eyes flutter open and anger flush the pale face.

"Welcome back Mr. Larabee." Ezra nodded as Chris's green eyes looked at him.

"Chris" Nathan clamped down on his arm again, liking the shot of anger that went though those green eyes. "You hurt anyplace else?"

Chris Larabee raised his left hand to his head, Nathan still had his right arm pinned down. "Just where you're squeezing my arm." He was having trouble focusing his eyes. "Did you get the bastard that shot me?" He looked around the room again. He was trying to piece together what had happened. Nathan said he had been shot. He remembered riding in from River Bend and putting his horse up. He was heading toward the saloon and Vin had called out to him and then there was the sound of thunder...

He tried to focus his eyes in, looking for Vin. Moving his eyes made his head hurt, actually just breathing made his head hurt. "Where's Vin?" He tried to struggle up. He gave Nathan a nasty look as Nathan put a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him back down.

"I don't think so...Chris you need to be quiet for a couple days." Nathan's dark face took on a worried look. "That's a bad head wound." The cloth he had put across Chris's forehead was already blood-soaked. Head wounds bled a lot.

"Get away from me I'm fine---" He started to struggle.

"Chris listen to Nathan." Buck moved from the foot of the bed to stand next to Nathan, ready to help keep Chris in bed.

"Vin!" It was JD.

All eyes turned toward him. He was standing in front of where Vin was slumped on the chair. JD pointed to the pool of blood under the chair.


	2. Chapter 2

Vin woke slowly. He could hear some one else, near him. He knew he was in a room. He felt the stitch in his side and remembered that he'd been shot.

He listened and felt with his senses. He wore the lower half of his long johns, a sheet covered up to the middle of his chest. There was a wide bandage wrapped tightly around his waist. He was not in his bed; his bed was in a wagon parked off a side street. He could hear singing birds and smell fresh air. He though he heard a page turned and he opened his eyes. He was staring at a painted ceiling; he was at the boarding house where Nathan had his doctoring office. Moving his head slightly he saw Nathan sitting in a chair over next to the window. He was reading a thick black book.

He saw the dark head move, saw the boyish face turn toward him and then a wide smile came to the worried looking face. "You're awake?" He got to his feet, coming toward the bed.

Vin winced a smile as a he tried to move.

"You want to take it easy, you got a lot of stitches in your side, you dam near bled to death." Nathan stood over him. "You got to lay still fer a day or two."

Vin moved himself up in bed. He was sweating and shaky now but he was more comfortable. "How long have I been here?" He looked over at the pitcher of water. He felt stiff enough that it might have been a couple days.

Nathan saw the look and took a glass and poured some water. "Since last night." He handed Vin the water.

"How's Chris?" He took a long drink of the water.

"We moved him back to his room, he's resting. He's got a hell of a headache and the light is bothering his eyes but I kinda expected it."

"Who shot him?"

"The one you shot on the roof was a young red haired man, none of us know him. But, Josiah said there were two men on that roof. And they found a blood trail to where two horses had been stakedout."

Vin had set the glass on the table next to him and was feeling the bandages. It was a nice tight dressing. It would hold up. He lifted the sheet off his legs and swung them over the side of the bed. He saw his clothing hanging on the pegs on the wall at the head of the bed.

"Vin I really think---."

"Nathan the fellar who shot me is out there, and I don't take kindly to being ambushed." It took him the sentence to get to his feet and straightened up. He was near standing nose to nose with Nathan.

"You got to rest!" Nathan's dark eyes narrowed, his stuck his chin out and put his hands on his hips.

Vin turned his body slightly, reaching out he put a hand on Nathan's arm. He closed his right eye just a little. "I thank you for patching me up." He dropped his hand from Nathan's arm. "But who ever shot Chris and me is still out there, and the trail is getting cold."

" Buck is on the trail tracking---"

Vin gave a small shake of his head. "The only thing Buck can track is a woman..." He turned and gathered his cloths. He saw the shirt had been washed and patched. He could tell by the stitching that Nathan had done it, it probably looked exactly like the stitches in his side.

He moved back to the bed and carefully sat down. His side was hurting some.

"You lost a lot of blood, and that _graze_ was a three inch gash." Nathan stood looking at him, knowing there was nothing short of knocking him unconscious to keep him down.

Vin remembered the bullet hitting him, there had been little pain, it had hurt but he'd been kicked a time or two and that had hurt worse then this. He got his shirt on, then pulled his jeans on. By the time he had his boots on, he felt real tuckered. But he had been watching Nathan and he knew that was what Nathan was waiting for.

Vin Tanner drew in a deep breath and stood up. He stepped back to the wall and slung his gun belt over is shoulder and took his hat from the last peg and set it on his head. He felt like a new born calf on real shaky legs but he headed to the door. "I want to talk to Chris and want to see the red haired fella."

"Your a stubborn man, Tanner." Nathan shook his head in wonderment. He could see the determination on Vin's face. He followed his comrade out the door.

A small smile touched Vin's eyes and lips. "So I been told." He made his way across the porch and down the stairs.

They knocked on Chris's door, hearing a muffled response. They entered. Josiah sat in the corner of the room, next to the window, reading from the bible. He closed it, rubbed his eyes and came to his feet. He nodded to Vin and Nathan. Noting the pensive expression on Nathan's dark face he knew Nathan had not won the argument with Vin. Vin's smooth easy mannerism was a little stiff and slow. He noted too that Vin's boyish face was drawn and pinched.

The three looked at the bed where Chris lay. There was a thick white bandage wrapped around his head. Nathan had changed the dressing before Chris had come over here to sleep. His blond hair poked around the edges of the bandage. His jaw line was unshaved and it gave him a rougher look. He lay with his head turned away from the light of the window. His bare chest rose and fell with a steady even breath.

"You been waking him every hour?" Nathan looked over at Josiah.

"Yeah and been asking him questions like you said. Takes him a few minutes but he answers me."

"Just don't let him sleep too long, he could not wake up." Nathan stepped to Chris and touching his wrist, felt for a pulse.

Vin glanced from one to the other. Not understanding what they were talking about.

Nathan saw the questioned look. "I'll tell ya downstairs." Nathan headed for the door.

Vin stood there for a long minute looking at Chris' still form and then nodded to Josiah and followed Nathan out of the room and down the hall. They left the hotel and went to the saloon.

Vin was ready to sit still for a few minutes. He eased himself into a chair and tried to find a position that was easy on his side.

"AH...Mr. Tanner... I see you are back among the living..." Ezra came walking down the steps from the rooms above the saloon. He stopped at the edge of the bar, lifting three mugs and the coffee pot he sauntered over to the table. Setting the mugs down, he flashed a smile. "Please allow me to play mother"

Nathan being an x-slave understood what Ezra meant. He smiled at the thought.

Vin slid him a sideways glance under the brim of his hat. "You ain't gonna sing are ya?" He moved a little in the chair, trying to find a comfortable spot.

"No, it means I'll pour the coffee." He gave Vin a look of quiet patience at his lack of knowledge of the gentler ways.

Nathan pulled a steaming cup of coffee to him, pushing the other one toward Vin who nodded his thanks.

Ezra put the coffee pot back on the bar and then joined the others. When he had tasted the coffee he looked from Vin to Nathan. "I take it your persuasive powers did not work?" He brushed some lint from his jacket; he wore a dark waist coat today, knowing he would be riding with Vin.

"He's stubborn, hard headed."

"You said that already!" Vin narrowed his eyes at Nathan. His voice was a raspy growl. He sipped at the coffee, liking the burning that went down his throat. "This red haired feller, he have any papers on him."

"No but he had two twenty dollar gold pieces on him." Ezra set the mug down. "JD's got them locked up over in the jail."

"What about the Sharps rifle...?"

"Other man must of took it with him." Nathan was watching the color drain from Vin's cheeks.

Vin knew Nathan was keeping an eagle eye on him, he straightened and very carefully leaned forward, using his elbows to prop himself up on the table. It seemed to take the strain off his side.

"Where were their horses tied at?" Vin didn't allow anything to register across his face.

Nathan moved closer. "Josiah said they were stakedout about a hundred yards behind the building." Nathan just knew Vin was going to pass out.

Vin looked at the coffee for a minute and then picked the mug up and downed the hot brew. "Well, day lights a burning…" He used his arms to get to his feet.

"I will be riding with you." Ezra got to his feet.

Nathan watched as Vin came to his feet and walked out of the Saloon. He saw Ezra look at him and he shrugged a shoulder. "Keep an eye on him. I can't believe he's still standing!" His voice carried the wonderment he felt. He'd almost bet Ezra that Vin wouldn't even get out of bed, and he'd have more then lost that bet.

Ezra strolled after Vin, noting that the other was walking much slower then he normally did. "The deceased is at the undertakers." He watched as Vin stepped down off the boardwalk and headed down the street. With three quick steps he was next to him and matching his stride. They were headed for the undertakers place. "I have our horses already saddled and waiting at the stable Mr. Tanner."

Vin heard Nathan following them, he looked over at Ezra. "You ain't going Ezra; you'll just slow me down."

Nathan's voice came from behind them. "Oh yeah! He's going!"

Vin gave him a sideways glance. He didn't move his head, just his eyes. "You saddled my horse?"

"Yes, and I placed provisions in both our saddle bags and brought your bed roll and ground tarp from your wagon. I also purchased extra rounds of cartridges for all our weapons." He stepped up onto the undertakers walk, stopped and turned and faced Vin.

Vin gave Ezra a sideways glance, then looked at Nathan. He knew he would have to let him win this one. He could see by the look in Nathan's dark brown eyes that if he argued with him, he'd loose. Vin straightened and let a breath out. "Well then let's get going."

He walked into the undertakers; saw the body of a red haired boy of about nineteen or twenty. The boy was dressed in home spun clothes and farmers clogs. He did not recognize him.

Vin headed out of the room hearing the undertaker ask if he could bury the body now. "Yeah." He set his focus on the stable. He'd get his horse and then start on the trail. He could hear Nathan giving instructions to Ezra as they followed him down the board walk. He could hear Ezra's soft southern accent saying the words _I will_ with every other step.

They walked into the barn and there were two horses saddled. Vin's stripped face black, Peso and Ezra's bay. Both horses ears pricked up, as their riders came toward them.

"I saddled them when I saw you going to Mr. Larabee's room, figured you'd want to get on the trail." His southern accent was soft. He could tell by the way Vin was moving that he wasn't feeling all that good, but he also knew Vin was a determined man. He knew he had saved Vin a lot of energy by having everything ready to ride.

"I can saddle my own horse Ezra!" There was anger in Vin's voice as he untied the reins from the post where his horse stood, turned and walked back past a confused Ezra. Ezra looked to Nathan who shrugged his shoulders and followed Vin out of the stable.

Ezra stood there a moment looking at Vin as he walked out of the stable.

He knew Vin was a little funny about taking care of his own horse.

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Chris Larabee woke to a darkened room. Moonlight shone in through the window. His head hurt still and there was a strange sensation running from the middle of his forehead around to the right side and behind his eyes. He lay still and listened to the room. There was someone over in the corner, sleeping. They were slouched in a chair and their head was tilted back and soft snoring sounds were filling the room.

It felt late.

He slowly started to stretch and move his muscles. Gently at first, tensing and then letting them relax. He worked his arms first and then his shoulders, that made his head hurt a little more but not bad. He worked his way down to his feet. He had been tensing and relaxing and then he started all over again. This time working them a little harder, all except his shoulders and neck. He could tolerate the headache right now and he had also seen that the bottle of laudanum was over on his dresser.

When he was ready he pulled the covers from him and sat up in the bed. The snoring hesitated, then started again and Chris thought he saw JD but the room seemed hazy in the moonlight. Chris remained still and the snoring started again.

Chris sat still for several minutes. Letting the headache and the spinning of the darkness ease, he waited before he tried to move again. He wore his jeans. Taking a deep breath, he got to his bare feet. The headache and the dizziness increased. He sat back down. A pounding in his head made the sweat pop out on his forehead, he felt a roll of nausea.

He felt his stomach kind of lurch. There was a blinding flash of pain in his head and he felt himself falling. He heard a cry of pain and then everything was still.

JD leaped to his feet, there had been a thud and an outcry. He had relieved Josiah just after Vin had left, sitting there with nothing to do he had quickly fallen asleep. He blinked at the sunlight streaming through the window. Chris was not in the bed. He heard a moan and moved a couple steps and saw Chris's crumpled body on the other side of the bed on the floor.

"Damn..!" He saw Chris trying to get up. JD took three quick steps and was at his side. "Easy Chris..." Reaching down he helped Chris back up onto the bed. "Easy...lay back...easy." He cradled the back of Chris's head in his hand and gently laid his head back on the pillow.

Chris's face was pale; his lips were as pale as his face. JD saw his green eyes blink several times.

"Light the lamp JD...I can't see anything..." Chris put his hands to his head. His head was pounding, it felt like lightening bolts going off inside his brain.

JD straightened; his expressive brown eyes showed the shock he felt. JD opened his mouth to say something, but shut it. He saw the panic grow across Chris's face as Chris passed a hand in front of his eyes. "Let me get Nathan…"

JD leaped for the door, Nathan and Josiah had taken the room across from Chris. JD threw open the door and stepped across the hall, pounding on the door.

Nathan opened the door. He was shocked by the flushed face and the wide frightened brown eyes.

JD grabbed him by the arm and started pulling him across the hallway.

"He's blind..." he whispered it. "Chris is blind, says he can't see."

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Vin had followed both sets of tracks. Those that led from the building and Buck's grey. He had looked at Buck's horses tracks enough that he knew it was the grey horse that was parallel the other's tracks. Vin was grateful that Buck had sense enough not to ride right over the tracks. About an hour out, the tracks went over some hard rock and Vin pulled his black up and stepped out of the saddle. He didn't say anything; he had not spoken since they had left the town. He knew Ezra was there to bring him back when he went down. Well he was a Tanner and he wasn't going to do that. He had been chewing on some jerked elk since they had left and he knew the dried meat would help strengthen his blood. He followed the tracks with the off-set step. Buck's grey walked flat, over stepping his front tracks with his hind by half a shoe. The other horse they followed stepped short, leaving two distinct prints, front and back.

He gave Buck credit; he had followed the trail well up to this point. But over the hard rock the double shoe prints suddenly vanished. But Vin knew what had happened. Who ever was riding the other horse was smart, he had stopped, covered the iron on his horse's feet and turned and gone at a right angle.

Vin didn't mount, he walked for a ways. He did it for two reasons. His side hurt like hell and his vision was a little fuzzy and he wanted to be sure he saw the scuff marks where the horse had stepped with his covered feet.

"Buck went the other way?" Ezra had left Vin to his silence, but seeing the tracks going the other way he was curious.

"The other feller went this way." Vin was surprised how much effort it took to talk. He walked on another quarter mile, leading the black. He found a scuff mark where the shoe was starting to wear through. He turned and stepped to his horse and mounted. Swallowing the pain, he rode on.

Ezra looked at the buckskin clad man. Suddenly glad that Vin wasn't on his trail. They rode on into the day.

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

"SIT STILL!" Nathan raised his voice again. Dealing with an injured Chris was one thing, but a blind Chris was past his patience. "You got to let me look..."

Chris swept an arm in front of him and felt it brush against Nathan. "Get away from me!" Anger vibrated from his very being. He tried to come off the chair he had been placed in.

Josiah placed his hands once more on top of Chris shoulders and pushed him back down into the chair. This time he did not remove them. He leaned down and spoke close to Chris ear. "If you persist _I_ will tie you to the chair." He felt Chris flex his shoulders as if to move and Josiah clamped his hands down in a tight squeeze. He felt the shoulders muscles tighten again, as if testing and then he relaxed.

Josiah nodded to Nathan.

Nathan sighed. "Ok…I'm gonna shine the miner's lamp at you eyes..." He bent down close to Chris's face and drew the bright lamp with the reflector toward Chris's eyes. He saw Chris flinch and the pupils reacted slowly.

"It's blurry, I can't make out anything." There was anger and bitterness in his voice.

"But you can see a little light?" Nathan felt hope.

"Yeah but it's like I'm looking through a window that's real dirty or smoked." He moved slightly, feeling Josiah's strong hands tighten down. Rage flashed through his mind, he capped it.

"Well I ain't positive but I think you getting up and trying to move has caused the problem."

Chris listened to the voice as it moved away from in front of him; he knew Nathan had moved back.

"I've got some salve and I'm gonna cover your eyes in it and put a bandage over them. Gonna have to be real still for a few days and then I'll check your sight again."

"I'll get my sight back?" Chris turned his head slightly, listening for any noise in the room. The silence near drove him to the breaking point.

"I think so---"

"YOU THI---" He tired to come out of the chair, rage driving him on. He felt two very strong arms wrap around his body pinning his arms to his sides, lifting him off the floor, moving him away from the chair.

That deep, confident, strong voice spoke near his ear again. "Nathan's doing the best he can." Josiah held Chris for a long minute, until the other was through fighting.

"Chris..." Nathan motioned for Josiah to put Chris back down. "The more you struggle and get angry the more chances you have of doing permanent damage. I think that you getting up and moving this soon cause some swelling to occur and that's why you can't see. Just gonna have to lay still and be real quiet."

Chris heard the words but the anger and rage was still there. He was blind. Blind. He felt himself placed back in the chair.

"I'm gonna put the salve on and bandage your eyes. I don't want you taking the bandages off and no bright light, were gonna keep the shades down and the room dark. And you will lay still and keep quiet!" He watched the emotions range over Chris's face as he spoke. He didn't like what he saw, but Chris remained still and cooperative.

Nathan took the salve that JD had gone and fetched from his doctoring room and he dipped his hand into the jar. "Ok...This is gonna be cool and might even feel good." He felt Chris jerk as he touched his face, and then he was still.

Nathan placed cloth pads over both of Chris's eyes and then placed a bandage around his eyes and head. He looked at his handiwork. Chris had a bandage around his forehead and one around his eyes. "Now I want you to get back in bed and you are going to stay there until I tell you, you need to be still."

He reached down and placed a hand on the bare shoulder, feeling Chris startle at the touch. "I think you got a good chance of getting your sight back, but you've got to be real quiet and no moving around for a couple days." He straightened and nodded for Josiah to let Chris up.

Chris came to his feet, anger in every fiber of his being. He stood there wanting to strike out, wanting to rip something apart.

"Chris..." Nathan's voice came from in front of his. "I want you to drink some of this. It will help with the headache." Nathan lied. It would put Chris to sleep. "Put your hand out and I will hand the glass to you."

"I don't want anything." Chris tried to move forward and felt Josiah's hands go to his shoulder. "Chris..." his voice was soft. "Drink it and get some rest. The sooner you get well, the faster the bandages come off."

Chris stood between the two men. He felt totally helpless, he was blind. He put his hand out and felt the glass placed in his palm. He closed his hand around the glass and brought it to his face. It took him a second but he got the glass to his lips and drank the liquid down in one swallow. He thrust his hand out and felt the glass taken from him. He turned toward where he thought the bed was and felt a guiding hand touch his elbow. He jerked his elbow away and just about fell over his own feet. He felt hands grab and steady him. He allowed them to help him to the bed. He lay down and stewed in the silence that followed.

Josiah left the room, stepping outside he was met by JD and Mary Travis; there was worry in both their eyes.

"Nathan thinks it's temporary."

"Can I see him?" Mary's blue green eyes were a real watery blue.

"Nathan gave him something to sleep, maybe later..."

They turned and headed down the hall way.


	3. Chapter 3

Ezra reined his horse in as he saw Vin step from the saddle. He saw Vin go to one knee and he had a feeling it wasn't to examine the ground. He had watched as the other man went even beyond what Ezra had expected him too.

"Mr. Tanner it's getting too dark to track, we need to find a camp." Ezra watched as Vin staggered to both feet. Vin had said nothing since early that morning when the trail had spilt. He had remained silent and sullen. Ezra watched as Vin seemed to look around the area and take note of where they were.

Vin turned and stepped to his horse and, with near the last of his strength, he hauled himself into the saddle. He hoped Ezra had thought he was checking the trail when he had had his leg give on him as he had stepped down. If he'd been by himself, he'd have ridden to a spot and crawled into a hole and stayed there. But he had someone else to think of. They were pretty close to the ruins and there were very few people who knew about them. They would be safe there. And there was good water and grazing for the horses.

Vin turned the strip faced black from the direction they had been heading and dropped down into a gully. The black knew where they were heading and he carefully picked his way along the ghost of a trail. They came out of the gully and crested and rode into another one. This one was cooler than the last and it started to widen out, turning from a gully to an arroyo and then into a deepening narrow walled ravine to drop down into a solid walled canyon.

Ezra was tired but, as they had started down into the arroyo, he had begun to pay attention. He had ridden little of this country and had heard Vin and Josiah talk about places like this. Where, when you look out across the country, you think it's flat and then you drop down into something and suddenly find you're in a deep canyon.

In the last of the light, they broke from the ravine's narrow entrance into the walled canyon. The floor was sandy and the sides went straight up. The light was enough to light the east side of the canyon wall and it showed deep red rocks. There were trees and brush that lined the edges of the canyon and he saw several flocks of birds take flight as Vin headed the black down the canyon.

Ezra's green eyes tried to take in the whole sweeping landscape at once and when he looked back at the way Vin had ridden, Mr. Tanner was no where in sight.

Ezra booted his horse and trotted in the direction Vin had gone in. There was no sign of him. Ezra drew his horse to a halt and listened. He looked up and down the canyon. There was no Vin Tanner in sight.

"Are you coming or not?" Vin's voice was tired sounding, his west Texas accent was strong.

Ezra's head turned toward the trees and brush that were lining the side of the canyon walls, that was where Vin's voice had come from. "Ah, Mr. Tanner, if you would be so kind as to explain where you have vanished to I will gladly follow you."

"Just a little to your right, you'll see the opening."

Ezra heard Vin's horse walking away. He moved a little to his right, reined the sorrel toward the brush and saw a spot where horse and man might pass.

In the dimming light he saw Vin's shadowy figure ahead of him and he pointed his horse through the rest of the brush and trees, they were climbing back uphill. Suddenly he came out on top of a wide opening and looked up, his mouth going agape.

It was a structure in front of him, running up the side of the canyon wall, like a four storied building. It looked like it was set into the side of the rock cliff. It was made of stacked rock and there were wooden beams occasionally. It was very quiet. Off to one side he could see a pool of water, there was grass at his horse feet, actually at his horse's knees it was so tall.

He saw Vin move to the left and disappear again. Ezra hurried to catch up and almost trotted over Vin.

Vin had dismounted and was standing next to the black. He glared up as Ezra jerked back on his horse and reined him around the far side of the black.

Ezra sat there a moment, looking at the horse corral that was in front of them. A natural cull-de-sac had been blocked off with pole fencing. It did not look as old as the Ruins did. Ezra stepped down off his horse and heard Vin remove his saddle. Ezra followed suit, turning his horse in with Vin's as the other held the pole gate for him.

Ezra pulled the bridle from his horse, watching as the horse made it's way toward the sound of water. He turned and looked at Vin as the other slid the two pole gate into place. "Mr. Tanner, how in the world did you know about this place?"

Vin turned and looked at him for a long minute.

Ezra saw a deep pain cross those blue eyes, not physical pain, but emotional. He thought he would not answer and then he watched as Vin tilted his head slightly, as if listening to some sound only he could hear. His blue eyes went to the cliffs above.

"Lived here fer a little while." Vin turned and headed back to where he had left his saddle. Stopping there just long enough to strip the saddle bags and bed roll off and lay his horse blankets out so they would dry, he gathered his things and headed for the dark entrance of the closest doorway.

Ezra followed until they came to the doorway. He heard Vin moving around inside. There was no light, it was pitch dark inside. He couldn't see Vin at all. He could hear him moving in the darkness and Ezra knew it must be from memory. He heard a match scraped on rock and it flared to life in the corner of the room. He saw the match touched to a small stack of twigs and wood and realized it was a fire hearth that Vin was kneeling in front of.

The room began to take shape as the light from the fire grew. It was about twenty feet by twenty feet. There was the fire pit, a stone bench to the right of where Vin was kneeling. There was another opening off to the left. Ezra looked up to see that the roof was made of wood poles. He took a step into the room and dropped his saddle bags and bed roll just inside the door. He squatted and rummaged in the saddle bag, producing a small coffee pot and a bag of coffee.

"I'll make coffee." He turned and stepped back out of the building, heading to the water source.

Vin got the fire going well and stood up slowly, his hand going inside his jacket to touch his bandaged side. It hurt like hell. He looked around the room and felt the old memories try to slip into his mind. He shoved them aside and set about checking for any unwanted critters that might be lurking in the corners.

Ezra returned and walked to the fire pit. He looked down at the fire and saw that the pit was already set up for a coffee pot. He set the pot on the rock that protruded out into the flame.

Ezra straightened from the fire and drew in a deep breath. He had instructions from Nathan and he wasn't sure if he wanted to ignore them and get a tongue lashing when he got back, or the one he'd get when he broached the subject here.

He watched as Vin took his saddle bags and bed roll to lay just at the edge of the bench. He watched him carefully. Noting how he moved. He couldn't believe he was still on his feet. Vin's color was still washed out and there were circles forming under his eyes. He moved as if he were a hundred years old and when he moved just right, there were little catches and he would touch his side and find another way to get what needed to be done, done.

Vin set his saddle bags to the side of the fire pit, then unrolled his bed roll so his saddle bags would act as a pillow.

Ezra took a deep breath as Vin started to remove his gun and knife belt. "Mr. Tanner...I have instructions from Mr. Jackson about taking a look at your wound." He smiled his best smile

Vin looked up, giving Ezra a sideways glance under the brim of his hat. He saw the pleasant smile on the face but Ezra's green eyes were staring directly at him and there was no bluff.

"I have a command of instructions to facilitate the inspection of the wound." Ezra saw those blue eyes narrow and for a minute he thought he was going to have a fight on his hands. Vin's hands stilled at the buckles that held the shortened Winchester in place.

Vin was too tired to argue. All he wanted to do was lay down and rest. "All right...but make it quick."

Ezra blinked several times, stunned. He watched as Vin removed the gun belt and jacket and pulled his shirt out. He moved toward Vin as the aroma of coffee started to fill the room. "Turn toward the light." He started to inspect the bandage and Vin's side.

The skin around the wound had looked good. There was no redness, the skin felt a little warm and there was very little bleeding. Ezra had done as Nathan had directed and had deemed the deed done. "Looks good."

He watched as Vin had laid down on his bedroll and stretched out. He could tell the tracker was more than wore out and knew he needed rest. Ezra poured him and Vin a cup of coffee and handed Vin his cup.

Vin took the cup without comment, just glad to be stretched out and still. His side hurt but, since he had gotten out of the saddle, the pain had eased some. He looked over at Ezra who suddenly produced a small bag of flour, a bundle of dried meat and a small pan.

Ezra saw Vin looking at him with a touch of surprise. He smiled, making his handsome face look much younger. "Please allow me to practice my culinary skills on you." He turned back to the task at hand. "I assure you my skills are quite good.

Vin tried to find a softer spot to lay and sipped at the coffee. The coffee was good. He said so.

Ezra's face broke into an open smile. "Then permit me to make it better and take the edge off what ever ails you." He reached inside the short coat inside pocket and produced his silver flask.

Vin grinned.

Ezra was glad to see the grin and poured a healthy amount into Vin's tin cup. He was a little more sparing on his. He found a small wooden bowl next to the fire pit, taking it he went outside to clean it and put water in it. He whipped up biscuits and a thick stew.

It was not a feast, but the biscuits were good and the meat with a gravy was excellent.

"When did you learn to cook?" Vin looked over at him after his fourth biscuit. Ezra when they were on the trail with the rest of the fellers had always stayed away from cooking chores.

Ezra just turned and smiled at his companion. "It can be our little secret."

XXX XXXX XXX

There was a soft knock at the door. Nathan got to his feet as Buck came through the door. He had lost the trail and come back to town. He'd go out at daylight and see if he couldn't pick up Vin and Ezra's trail.

They were working in four hour shifts. The sleeping powder was keeping Chris down and semi-quiet. As it started to wear off, he dreamed and mumbled in his sleep.

Nathan nodded to Buck as the other came quietly into the room. "I'll give him the medications now and then come back in a couple hours."

Buck watched as Nathan mixed the powder in a glass with water and he walked over to the bed with Nathan. Buck slipped his hand under Chris' head and lifted it to help Nathan get Chris to drink the liquid.

Chris tried to keep from drinking but, with both of them there, he had little choice. He swallowed the bitter tasting liquid. He tried to push them away with his hands, but they were knocked down and held at his sides.

"He's been a little restless, but not bad..." Nathan straightened and looked at Buck's brown eyes. "If you need me, I'll be across the hall."

Buck flashed him a smile. "Hope you can sleep through the snoring, I don't see how JD can sleep with himself." He could tell the Nathan was just about out on his feet, he'd gotten little sleep in the last couple days.

"See ya in a couple hours." Nathan set the glass down next to the water pitcher and headed out of the room.

Buck stood where he was at, looking down at his friend. He saw him shift a couple times; reaching out with a hand and then letting it drop to his stomach. He mumbled something unintelligible and then laid still.

Buck walked over to the window and looked out into the empty street. It was still four hours to daylight. He leaned up against the wall and stared out.

Buck moved to sit in the chair, the lamp light was low. He was still staring out the window. He dozed off and on, his head dropping down would jerk him awake. He moved the chair closer to the wall and leaned his head against it, he was going to close his eyes for just a minute.

"Cleatus...Why---"

Buck jumped. Chris's voice was a bitter growl.

Chris moved his head, his right hand went down to his hip where if he was wearing a gun, his hand would have touched it. He moaned in his dream and then laid still.

Buck watched him for a few minutes and then went to looking back out the window.

"Buck?"

Buck came out of the chair and toward the bed. "Yeah Pard..."

"The horses, we have to deliver the horses down to the Chavez ranch." Chris's voice was raspy. He shifted in the bed, moving slightly then laid still. A worried look came to his face. "Got a get them delivered so I can get that twenty head of cattle...and then we can round up more of those mustangs to break."

Buck felt a twist in his gut. Chavez was where they had delivered the horses, leaving Sarah and Adam alone. He stood there looking at Chris. He saw a smile touch the pale lips.

"Adam." Chris's lips drew up in a wider smile. "Come help me feed your mom's chickens. She's not feeling to well this morning," His smile stayed.

"That's it, spread the feed on the ground." He seemed to be listening; his smile went to a grin.

Buck realized he hadn't seen that grin on Chris's face for years. It was a easy, relaxed happy grin. One that came when he had talked about Sarah, Adam, the ranch and their plans, it had never touched his face since coming back from Mexico.

"Yeah, mommy's been sick in the morning, but it won't last long...Do you think you'd like a little brother or sister..."

Buck staggered; he groped for the chair, dropping into it heavily. It scrapped on the floor. Sarah had been pregnant... He remembered now, how she had been real quiet in the mornings.

Buck felt the knot twist even deeper.

Chris had kept it a secret.

"Buck---" Chris shifted in the bed, his arms reached out. A frown went to those pale lips. "Smoke...do you smell the smoke?"

And Buck smelled the smoke. It had been a long time before he didn't smell it. When they were about a half mile out, they saw a wisp of smoke rising from above the tree's. He remembered he had joked, saying Sarah had breakfast waiting for them. As they had drawn closer they had smelled the stench of the smoke, knowing it was more then just the wood stove and he had seen the terror in Chris eyes.

The groan that escaped from between Chris's clenched teeth was an inhuman sound. He watched as his hand moved---

Buck's mind was taken back to that moment in time. He could smell the stench of the burned house, he watched as Chris's horse slide to a stop in front of the burnt pile of charred lumber that had been his home. He saw Chris launch himself up onto what had been the porch and have his leg go through the charred lumber. Chris was screaming Sarah and Adam's names at the top of his lungs frantically looking around the area as he tried to get his leg out of where it had dropped through. Pulling the leg out, he put an eight inch gash in his calf that they didn't discover for several hours.

Buck arrived seconds behind him and dismounted, feeling the terror and fear well up inside him as he saw the half dozen charred timbers that were still smoking. He saw Chris stumbling across the smoking mass of black, reaching down and pulling still smoking wood away.

Screaming Sarah's name.

Then Chris came to a dead stand still, he became silent. His eyes looking down at what Buck could not see. His wife and son lying side by side, Sarah's drawn contorted arm around their son protectively.

"WHY!" Chris's voice cried out into the night.

Buck came out of the chair and went to kneel next to the bed; grabbing Chris's searching hands in his. "It's alright Pard. It's alright..." Tears well up in his brown eyes, spilled over, and ran down his cheeks. He felt the hollow empty feeling he had felt three years ago when he couldn't help Chris then. He had helped a silent, anger ridden friend bury his wife and child and then followed him as he went on a path of revenge and self destruction. And then had finally parted company because he couldn't handle what Chris had become.

Chris lay still for awhile.

Buck had sat down on the floor, his back against the bed. Resting, remembering things he didn't want to remember. He sat in the dimming darkness as daylight began to lighten the eastern sky.

There was a knock at the door. Buck got to his feet as Nathan came into the room, sleep still clinging to his face. " I over slept, how's he doing?" Nathan rubbed a hand across his face, blinking the sleep away. He looked down at Chris and then at Buck. Of the two, Buck looked worse for the wear. Nathan moved toward Buck. "Bucklin...you alright?"

Buck stood up straight, folding his hands under his arms. He didn't look at Nathan, his eyes remained on Chris. He blinked several times and let a sigh escape. "I'm..." his voice caught. "I'm gonna ride out after Vin and Ezra." He headed around the end of the bed and sidestepped Nathan.

Nathan reached a hand out stopping Buck. "You sure you ok?"

Buck still didn't turn and look at Nathan. "Rough night..." He shrugged Nathan's hand off and went out the door.

Nathan watched the door close and then he stepped to Chris's side. Reaching down he felt for a pulse at Chris's wrist. He looked at the door as it opened and an angry, confused JD came into the room.

He stood there looking at Nathan, bewilderment written across his face.

His dark brown eyes were wide. He whispered. "What's wrong with Buck, he just about took my head off."

Nathan gave him a sad looking smile. "He had a bad night."

"More like a bad morning I'd say!" He looked at Nathan and then Chris.

"I'll go get breakfast like I did yesterday?"

"Yeah, make it a beef broth for Chris, like yesterday…"

"Ok...Be right back..." He turned and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him. Checking to make sure Buck was not in the hall way.

Nathan felt Chris stir as he held his wrist.

"Nathan?" Chris voice was a raspy whisper.

"Yeah, it's me." He let go of Chris wrist.

"How long have I been asleep?" He hurt all over, he felt stiff and sore like he had been rode hard and put away wet.

"A day and a night." Nathan moved toward the dresser where the water was. "Let me get you something to drink."

"I don't want no more of that sleeping stuff." Chris strained his ears listening for that sound of paper that the powder was kept in.

"I don't think you need it anymore. I got some broth coming and I want---"

"I don't want no broth…order me steak and eggs..." He felt hungry.

"Easy there, let's take it a step at a time."

"When can we take the eye bandages off.?" Chris heard Nathan walk back over to the bed and very carefully he scooted up, taking his time. His head wasn't hurting and other than the fact that his whole body was stiff and sore he felt pretty good.

"We'll take a look tomorrow." Nathan reached out with his free hand and gently caught Chris's groping hand. He placed the water in his hand and watched as Chris tasted the water, found there was nothing in it, and drank it down.


	4. Chapter 4

Ezra woke with a groan. He swore when he had laid his bedroll down there were no rocks under it, but as the night had wore on and the ghosts had come and gone there seemed to be a multitude of rocks under it now.

Just before Vin had dropped off to sleep, not to long after eating, he had told Ezra not to be alarmed at any sounds he might hear. That the Spirits still walked here.

Ezra had politely smile and said he believed in two things. "_His ability with cards and his brace of Remington's."_ He had seen the glance Vin had given him as the other had pulled his hat down and laid his head on his saddle bags. "I assure you Mr. Tanner; there are no spirits or ghosts."

Vin had just grunted and gone to sleep.

Ezra had a little more coffee and banked the fire from where he lay. And pulling out his deck of cards, he one handed shuffled. He also kept his fingers nimble by practicing dealing seconds, dealing from the bottom, middle of the deck, and palming cards...

A strange howl sounded above them.

Vin chuckled in his sleep

Ezra swore he didn't get more than twenty minutes sleep the whole night between the howls, things moving in the dark and something walking through their room into the other.

He looked over at where Vin had been. He was not there and neither were his things. Ezra pulled his boots on, stood, dusting his cloths and put his jacket and hat on and stepped out side.

Looking toward the corral he saw Vin standing at the side of his horse. The saddle blankets were on the black and Vin was getting ready to throw his saddle on. Vin turned and snatched it from the ground and arched it upward.

Ezra heard the indrawn breath from where he stood. He saw the saddle land on the horse's back and Vin staggered against the black's shoulder, holding his side.

Ezra ran over to him, hearing a stream of curse words as he neared.

"Mr. Tanner are you---"

Vin looked up.

Ezra's breath caught in his throat and he reached out and caught Vin before the other fell to the ground.

Vin was as white as a sheet. His blue eyes stood out like blue diamonds. Ezra eased his comrade to the ground. He could feel Vin gasping for breath, Ezra felt the heat of pain pouring from Vin's body.

"Easy, lay down...just lay still for a minute..."

Vin's hand came from inside his jacket where the wound was. It came out bloody. "Damn!"

Ezra loosened Vin's gun belt and pulled back the jacket. His red shirt over the bandaged area was staining even redder. Ezra pulled Vin's shirt open and saw the blood staining the bandage.

He saw color start back into Vin's face. "Lay still...Nathan packed several bundles of bandages...I'll go get them..." He turned and ran back inside the building and grabbed his saddlebags and ran back to where Vin was struggling to get up.

Ezra put a hand in Vin's chest and set him back down. "I said stay down!"

Vin shot him an angry glance, started to push Ezra back.

Ezra was suddenly very angry, Nathan had given him explicit instruction and Vin had gone and saddled his own horse and look what had happened and he was going to get the blame for it because Vin was mule headed.

"Get a w---" Vin was silenced by the drawn colt that was thrust in his face. He looked into Ezra's green eyes with a start. He saw open anger across that boyish face, his green eyes were bright with it, shining like dark pools of water.

"I have put up with your obstinate behavior for as long as I am going to." He leaned in closer toward Vin, accenting his words with the colt's barrel just under Vin's chin at the V'd opening of his shirt. "So I would suggest that if you don't want to die..." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "And I don't mean bleeding to death from the wound in your side. You're going to do as I say!"

Vin's blue eyes actually showed surprise. He looked at Ezra's flushed face, the anger in those green eyes and the set of his jaw and decided that he meant what he said. He laid back and remained still, the shock of what had just happened was setting in. This was Ezra, mild mannered, always a gentleman, rarely raising his voice above a genteel tone, and he had pulled a gun on him to boot. Something was going on.

Ezra stared hard at Vin for several long seconds, waiting to see if what he had said was going to work. It looked like it had.

"Good, now take your gun belt off and let's get your jacket off!"

Vin complied without a word.

Ezra saw what Nathan had been afraid of. The stitches had ripped. He drew in a deep breath and tried to remember everything that Nathan had told him to do. '_If it's a few stitches then bind it tight with a thick cloth over it. If it's all of them then heat a knife blade and cauterize it and bring him back quick.'_ It was the bottom stitches that were open and bleeding. He would put a thick pad over it and bind it as tightly as he could. He glanced at Vin several times, only to have the lanky tracker give him an even, blank glare back.

Vin moved when he was told, held pressure on the bandage when he was told, sat up when he was told to. He watched Ezra work without comment. He could still see the anger in Ezra's face. He had always figured Ezra had one hell of a temper and he had seen him keep it in check. He'd heard about the incident between Nathan and Ezra when Nathan had come into the church angry because Ezra was trying to help a bunch of working girls get husbands, at a small fee of course. Buck and Josiah had both said that, for one fleeting moment, Nathan had never known how close he had come to dying. They had both seen an anger come to Ezra's whole body, almost take over and then he got control. And all of it happened with-in a matter of a heart beat.

Ezra moved back on his haunches and looked at the bandage. He was quite proud of his handy work.

"Now Mr. Tanner, we are going to have a little repast, some of my excellent coffee and then we will see how you feel." He got to his feet. Placing the spare bandages in the saddle bag, he stepped back.

Vin remained where he was.

Ezra started toward the ruin doorway, realized Vin was still on the ground. He stopped and turned, looking at him with a questioned expression. "Are you coming?"

"I can get up?" Vin remained still, his face looking quite somber, but his blue eyes were sparkling.

"Yes, do you need assistance?" Ezra started back toward him.

Vin gestured with a hand. "No...No...I can get up; I just didn't want to get shot!" He very carefully came to his feet, not because of Ezra, but because of the pain in his side.

Ezra's expression never changed, the anger was still with him. He had at least gotten Vin's attention. He turned and headed again in toward the ruin.

"Is it alright if I cinch my horse up?"

Ezra turned and without hesitation. "No…I will do that in a couple minutes, you are to come in here and sit." Ezra saw the look on Vin's face flicker for a brief second, his blue eyes narrowing, his square jaw set and then it was gone and he followed along. Ezra had felt the anger start to subside and it flared to life so quick he had to turn and walk away. "I will start the fire and put the coffee on and then saddle the horses"

Vin was walking along carefully, tucking his shirt back in, his gun belt slung over his shoulder. He couldn't understand why Ezra had acted the way he had. He had known in that brief moment that Ezra would have shot him. He had never seen him that angry.

He followed Ezra into the ruin and went over to the rock bench. Sitting down he carefully pushed his back against the wall and very carefully lifted his feet up onto the bench and stretched out. He saw Ezra strike a match and start the fire that he had laid before going out to saddle his horse.

Vin felt himself start to bristle with the way Ezra had acted and then let it go, Ezra had been right. He was foolish to do what he had done and now it had cost them more time.

He watched as Ezra made the coffee, placed the pot on the fire and then gathered his bed roll and saddle bags. Ezra took his things out, not giving even a backwards glance. Vin reached up and pulled his hat down a little lower, it was time to catch a nap.

Ezra started to reach under the belly of the black when he saw that his hand was shaking. He felt the nausea start and felt the sweat break out on his forehead. Straightening, he dashed into the brush and trees to empty what little was on his stomach.

This is why he didn't like getting angry. The last time he had gotten that mad and lost control he had killed a man, a man who really didn't need killing.

He straightened from his bent over position, took a clean handkerchief from his inside coat pocket and wiped the sweat off his face and wiped his mouth. He leaned his back against an aspen and drew in several deep breaths.

He chastised himself for losing control of his anger. He had a very violent temper and had learned to control it at an early age. He had come close to killing a cousin of his because the cousin had called him a Bastard. He had been twelve then and had grabbed his cousin, who was bigger then he was, around the throat and had choked him until he had turned blue. One of the slaves had pulled him off and shook him like a dog until he had settled down.

"Young Master got no call to go around acting like a ruffian, you is a gentleman and not's some wild thing..."

Ezra had looked at the color returning to his cousin's face; saw the horror in those blue green eyes staring at him. And he had vowed from then on never to let anger get a grip on him again.

Ezra straightened from the tree and dusted his clothing off and headed back to the horses. He stopped suddenly, thinking about why he had lost control.

If Vin had bled to death Nathan would have been angry, Chris would of killed him, but that wasn't the reason. He considered Mr. Tanner as a friend. That was why he had been so upset. He'd never admit it openly but Vin Tanner was a friend. He moved on to finish what needed to be done.

Vin heard a noise and woke to see Ezra squatted by the fire making biscuits. He slowly sat up, his arm held in close to his body and the wound.

He saw Ezra turn and look at him, saw the green eyes appraise him

"Coffee Mr. Tanner?" Ezra rose with a cup in his hand and walked over to where Vin was seated.

"Thanks." He took his tin cup. Vin noticed Ezra seemed to be back to his old self.

Ezra walked back to the fire and squatted before it, turning the biscuits over. He turned and looked at Vin over his shoulder. "Who lived here?"

Vin glanced at him over the steaming tin of coffee. He sighed. "It was a mixed group. There were Indians, some Spanish, couple of old mountain men and some colored folks."

"They built this place then?" Ezra poked a biscuit and removed it from the rock it was on.

"Naw, this place is real old." Vin looked around the inside of the room.

"There are close to a hundred different rooms, some bigger, some a whole lot smaller. This place has been used by a lot of different folks. The old Indian that was here said his grandfather's father had told him about this place. That it had been known to their tribe for many generations. He said that the tribe that lived here, were before time, they were the first people and had had great knowledge and understanding in the way of the land. Story goes that they just vanished." Vin sipped the coffee. "They sure knew how to build rock houses where you wouldn't think they could."

Ezra pulled the other biscuits off and, coming to his feet, he delivered a couple to Vin. He wanted to ask how Vin had come to know about this place but decided if Vin didn't want to offer the knowledge he'd let it go. He walked back over to the fire, taking his coffee and biscuits and moved over to the other doorway, peering in. Very little light went into the next room.

Vin watched him, eating the biscuit and drinking his coffee. He saw him lean in the next room and then look back at him. Vin smiled. "Rooms about the same size as this one, but there's a ladder over in the far corner goes to the next level.

Ezra turned from the room and walked to the entrance of the one they were in. He stood looking out, listening to the breeze in the aspen and the birds calling out. He looked back at Vin, tracker, sharpshooter, bounty hunter and wondered how many places like this he knew about. He saw Vin had finished his coffee and food. Turning he walked back over to the fire and doused what coals were left, gathered his few remaining things and walked out of the ruin.

Vin carefully got to his feet. His side hurt, but the tight binding seemed to help some. He still felt a little tired but the quick nap had worked. He went to the fire pit and threw the rest of his coffee into the pit and made sure it was out completely and then laid the ground work for another fire.

Ezra stepped back inside the room and saw Vin laying wood for another fire and he remembered how when they had first come here there was wood for a fire already laid and waiting for a match.

Vin turned and saw Ezra standing there, looking at him. Vin stood and looked down at the fire pit. "Never can tell when those that vanished might come back." He turned and headed for the doorway and Ezra. "Wouldn't want them feller's to think I didn't 'preciate the loan of the house."

Vin led them out of the canyon and back to where they had left the trail.

He was able in the daylight to see the tracks, they started to follow. They had been on the trail and hour when Vin stepped down out of the saddle and scouted the ground.

Ezra looked around the area. They were back in the high desert and they were coming into some small rocky hills. He glanced at the distant rocks. "Good place for an ambush!"

Vin looked up at him as he had lead the black in that direction. "Yeah it is and someone rode that way before our rider did." He pointed to the ground, pointing off to the northeast. "Someone riding a big horse, long strides, crooked front shoe maybe a half day before our rider."

Vin stopped, dropped the reins on the black. He walked a few paces from the black and looked around, studying the surrounding landscape. Then walked back to the black and reached into his saddle bag and brought out the glass. He moved a few feet from the horse and pulled the brass telescope out to its full length and took a look toward the hills. When he had found what he was looking for he walked over to Ezra and handed him the spy scope. "Just off to the North of that big set of rocks, in the air."

Ezra took the telescope and put it to his eye, looking.

"I think were gonna find our shooter." Vin walked back and mounted and moved the black to stand next to Ezra's horse.

Ezra was about to give up and say he couldn't find what Vin had seen when he saw the circling buzzards. He pulled the glass away from his eye and looked at Vin who took the glass and packed it back inside his saddle bags. Ezra sat a minute looking at the distant hills. "Think they might still be waiting to see if we were following him?"

Vin slide Ezra a glance. "Don't see no tracks coming back this way. The second rider on the big horse came from the other side of Eagle Bend or up toward Fords county..." He looked back toward the hills. "Lot of hired guns come out of that territory."

Ezra had heard that was where Chris had drifted from before coming to Four Corners. "Well then Mr. Tanner I should say we need to ride with the utmost of circumspection."

Vin slid him another sideways, under the brim glance and touched his spurs to the blacks sides. Hoping Ezra's statement meant 'ride with care'


	5. Chapter 5

Nathan wished that Buck and Vin were here. Josiah and JD were, but he knew if he took the bandages off and Chris couldn't see, he wasn't sure what would happen. The last twelve hours Chris had been real quiet, to quiet.

"Are you going to take them off?" Chris voice was edged with anger.

"You know sometimes it takes longer then a couple days---"

"Nathan, if you don't take 'em off, I'm going too." There was no edge to the anger now, it was all anger.

Nathan finished taking the last three wraps off and carefully held the eye pads in place with one hand. He handed Josiah the wrapping and then place a hand at each pad. "Now don't open your eyes tell I say so. The room is dark. We have one lamp lit so the light is real low." He carefully pulled the pads away. "Don't open them until I get the salve off. He took a clean towel that Josiah handed him and very gently wiped the thick salve off. Then reaching over he took the oil lamp and shined it in front of Chris face. "Don't open your eyes but, can you see any light through the lids of your eyes?"

"No." Chris word was sharp.

Nathan pulled the light away and set the lamp behind Chris. "Ok. Open them." He watched as Chris slowly blinked, looking around. He didn't have to ask the question, he could tell by the look on Chris face.

He couldn't see.

Nathan sighed. "I told you it was t---"

Chris swung a round house, his fist went behind Nathan's head. The side of his arm caught the side of Nathan's head. It wasn't a forceful blow but it was enough to stagger him sideways. He tried to follow the right handed round house with a left but suddenly those strong arms were surrounding him again and holding him still.

JD had jumped to Nathan's side and kept him from falling to the floor. He helped right the shaken healer and looked at Josiah who had Chris in a bear hug and was talking to him calmly.

"Nathan said it was too early to take the bandages off, it's not his fault that your sight has not returned yet."

"Yeah! Then is it your God's?" Chris spit the words out, he continued to struggle. "I'm blind... I can't see." He tried to jerk his head back and hit Josiah in the head.

Josiah ducked his head into Chris shoulder and squeezed the hold he had on Chris just a little bit more.

Nathan stepped toward them. "Calm down Chris, calm down... You're gonna make it worse." Nathan moved to stand in front of Chris and Josiah.

Chris felt the breath go out of him as Josiah drew his arms tighter. When he was almost gasping for breath, he quit struggling.

"All right now." Nathan, nodded for Josiah to ease his hold. "Just calm down." Nathan looked at Chris for a second. "I told you it was too soon to take the bandages off." He nodded for Josiah to release his hold on Chris. "There is still a lot of swelling around your eye. I'm gonna put the salve back on and bandage your eyes again and we will wait a couple more days.

"I'll be blind then too!" Chris moved a little ways from Josiah but didn't strike out.

"You don't know that Chris." Josiah reached a hand out and gently laid it on Chris' shoulder. "Let time heal."

Chris shrugged the hand off his shoulder but remained quiet. "All right, a couple more days." He took a couple steps. "But I want to be left alone, I don't need no babysitter." He spat the words out.

"All right, we can do that." Nathan looked at JD and then Josiah, with a shrug of his shoulder. "But you got to promise you'll leave the bandages on and you won't leave the room."

Chris closed his blind eyes for a long minute, then turned and looked toward where he thought Nathan was standing. "I'm blind Nathan, why would I leave...?"

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Ezra pulled his horse to a stop as Vin did. He watched as Vin stiffly reached back into his saddlebag and pulled the telescope back out. Ezra saw Vin put the glass to his eye and looked toward the black rocks that were growing larger as they drew nearer.

He had noticed that Vin had slowed their pace going toward the rocks. And several times he had drawn up to look, watch and then moved on.

"Still just the buzzards..." Vin's soft Texas accent broke the silence.

"Maybe who ever it is, is alive?"

The tracker shrugged a shoulder. Studying the rocks, he was close enough now that details in the boulders were clear and had there been movement he could see it. He saw nothing but the buzzards slowly circling the same spot, slowly making their way down toward the ground.

"Vin..."

Ezra's tone of voice brought immediate attention.

Vin looked over at Ezra and saw him looking back over his shoulder in the direction they had come from. There was a trail of dust, coming their way. Vin moved the black a little so he wouldn't have to twist at the waist and brought the glass up. He studied the rider for a long minute and then smiled. "It's Buck."

They sat their horses as the rider drew near, realizing that Buck was running his horse. Neither said what they each were thinking, something was wrong, Chris was dead...

Buck drew his weary horse to a halt. There was lather on the horse's neck and sides and both he and his rider were breathing hard.

Vin looked at the hard used horse and felt his stomach take a twist. His expression never changed, still that same look. "Chris alright?"

Ezra found himself holding his breath as Buck slowly answered.

"Yeah, he's alive."

There was something in the tone that told them there was more.

Ezra's patience was thin, he wished for a hot bath, clean cloths and a good brandy. "Can you expound on your tone Mr. Wilmington?"

Vin saw the look on Buck's face and commented. "What else is wrong?"

Buck's brown eyes looked at both of them. "He's blind!"

They sat there stunned.

"Nathan says he could get his sight back, but he's got to be quiet and still." Buck reached down and fiddled with a string on his saddle.

Vin focused back in on Buck's lathered horse. They needed to be moving so the horse wouldn't cool down too quick and stiffen up or get sick. He turned the strip faced black and headed for the rocks and the darkening target that lay at the foot of the North rocks, hearing the other two follow.

They rode slowly in silence.

They were still well out of rifle range when Vin pulled up. He reached into the saddle bags and pulled the glass out. They could see by the naked eye that there were two lumps on the ground at the foot of the black rocks. Putting the glass to his eye he brought the dark forms into closer focus. It was a horse and a body, about ten feet apart. Both looked very dead. He raised the glass up and scouted the dark volcanic rocks. There was still no other sign of anyone, but the buzzards had not come down. He looked back at the dead horse and rider and then handed the glass to Ezra.

"I think we'll camp here." He stepped off his horse and moved over toward a small group of black boulders that ran parallel to the hills.

"Why don't we go ahead and ride---" Buck looked at Ezra, seeing him following Vin's lead. He looked sullenly at Vin.

Vin didn't look at him. "Because I don't want to be another target for someone..." Vin moved to a small Palo Verde tree and tied the black to it, then started to unsaddle, he heard Ezra clear his voice, very softly but firmly. Vin didn't say a word, he took his beadroll, turned and walked over into the shade of the rocks and very carefully lay down and stretch out, pulling his hat down low. "We'll wait until dark and then move in; just a sliver of a moon tonight." He felt tired and wore clean through. A little rest would do him good. He heard Ezra dismount, heard the sounds of unsaddling and then he was slowly slipping off to sleep He felt the exhaustion slipping into his mind as he allowed his body to accept it.

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JD stood outside Chris' door and hesitated for the twentieth time. His hands wrapped around a whiskey bottle. Chris had told him to go get one, telling JD that if JD didn't get it, he'd find a way to go get one. He knocked on the door and started to open it.

The door was jerked open. Chris stood in the doorway. "JD?"

"Yeah." JD knew he was doing something wrong.

Chris thrust his had out. "Give it to me!"

JD hesitated just slightly

"JD!" Chris voice was a snarl.

JD handed it to him. "Chris I---" The door was slammed in his face. JD stood there for a long moment. He knew he should go get Nathan but Nathan was wore out, he'd gotten little sleep. He stood there staring at the door, wondering what to do.

"Mr. Dunne?"

JD jumped sideways, his hand starting for his gun. But the gun remained holstered. There was a woman standing in front of him, she wore a vail like a widow would, as if mourning someone.

JD's startled expression turned to puzzlement "Ma'am…do I know---."

The Veiled figure closed the distance and with lightning speed and a practiced skill her hand snaked out and the lead sap connected with the side of his head. "I am sorry Mr. Dunne, I came to see Mr. Larabee..." She watched him drop unconscious to the floor in a heap.

She had to hurry. She had taken the room next to Chris'. She quickly went to it, opened the door and then came back for JD. Grabbing him by the arm she hauled him into her room, shutting the door. She needed to tie and gag JD and slip into Chris's room with the drugs. She needed the drugs in him to control him. This stuff would make a mad dog do what she wanted.

Quickly she bound and gagged JD. Making sure that his ties were good ones. Then she took and pulled the cover off the bed and rolled him up in it. She reached into the purse that held the sap and pulled out the drugs. This was a mixture; it was used on the water front to shanghai sailors, that is where she had learned how to use it.

She listened at her door before opening it, then quickly went to into the hall and to Chris' door. She listened at the door and, with as little noise as she could she turned the knob and opened the door. There was no sound. Easing her head into the room she saw Chris sitting in the corner of the room. She could see that he had half the bottle gone. Good, this was going to be easier then she had hoped. Moving on cat feet she crossed the room, taking the small bottle of liquid in her hand she poured it into the open top of the whiskey bottle.

He moved from his slumped position, the two bandages on around his head had his hair kind of sticking out in all direction. He had removed his shirt and was bare chested, he was also bare footed. His head moved back and forth. "Who's there…?" It came out a little slurred. "JD… that you?" He moved his head twisting it slight, as if he were trying to hear better. He pulled the bottle from the table and drew another long drink from it.

She stood perfectly still.

He drew another long drink from the bottle and then tried to set it back on the table. It took him two tries "Who….who's…" He ran his free hand over his mouth. His mouth tasted like he had put something bitter in it. The left hand slipped from the bottle. He tried to move and felt himself falling forward.

She moved to keep him in the chair. "Come my love, we have a long ride ahead of us." She kissed him on the cheek and moved him to his bare feet. He was like putty in her hands. "Yes, that's it, lean on me…I am the one who loves you, I will protect you…" Her soft voice purred.

Somewhere Chris' mind was screaming at him, he could hear it. But, he couldn't do anything it was trying to tell him to do. It was like he was outside his body, yelling, screaming, and cursing telling himself to fight, get away from this woman. But his body just would not respond. He was like a lamb being led to the slaughter; the body followed what she told him to do.

Quickly she checked the hall and saw and heard no-one. Stepping out into the hall she brought him out and locked the door, then they headed down the stairs and toward the back of the hotel, and the buggy she had waiting there.

She got him into the front seat of the wagon and told him to sit there. She untied the horses and then crawled up next to him. For one brief moment she took the pleasure of running her hands over his chest and shoulder, but there would be time for that later. Gathering the reins she clucked to the team and the horses started out into the night.

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Vin woke in pain. He felt stiff and his side was hurting. He felt tired and hot. Blinking his eyes clear he lifted his hat from his face. He had a blanket over him. The coals from the fire were red ashes and the fire had been small. He moved up on his good side and looked around the camp. The horses were tethered to the tree. Buck was over across from him and Ezra's bed roll was between the two of them and empty.

It took Vin a few seconds to locate him. He was sitting in the collection of rock to the left of the camp, a place he could keep an eye on the trail toward the body and still give the camp coverage.

Vin saw the coffee pot sitting to the side of the fire and with gritted teeth he slowly got up. His side felt stiff and irritated. He felt a little warm for the cool night and his eyes seemed to burn when he blinked. He went to the fire and the coffee pot and very carefully took a cup that was sitting next to the pot and poured him a cup; he looked up and saw Ezra looking toward him. He lifted the pot and saw the dark silhouette nod. He carefully stood and took the pot and his cup over to where Ezra waited.

Vin realized that it was near morning. There was just a tinge of color in the eastern sky and the stars told him it was almost daylight. He had slept a long time. In the starlight he saw Ezra reach out for the coffee pot and fill his cup.

Ezra's voice was soft and low. "If you will look to the spot where the mountain comes down to the ground and over just to the right of there, I think you can see a flicker of fire light." Ezra drank some of the coffee and waited.

Vin moved so he had a clear view and looked. He didn't look directly at where Ezra had spoken of but he let his eyes scan the distance.

There was a flicker of light.

Vin sipped the coffee.

He saw it again. Someone was being careful about their fire, but not careful enough. He had the idea that who ever it was was waiting for them, expecting them to rush to the camp.

He drank down more of the coffee, glanced at Ezra.

"Mr. Wilmington caught a couple rabbits; we split one and left the other one for you." Ezra shifted and came down from the rocks he had been sitting on.

He stood next to Vin, looking out across the desert. "I think it is a trap." Ezra took a drink of his coffee and headed back to their concealed fire, and the food.

Vin stood looking at the occasional flicker of fire. If he were going to draw someone in, it's what he would do. He heard Ezra walk back over to him, handing him a plate. "Ezra I'm really not---"

"It would be in your best interest to eat Mr. Tanner." Ezra moved the plate toward Vin, his voice low but forceful.

Vin looked down at the plate, then at Ezra and then back at the plate. He took the plate. He couldn't see Ezra's eyes but he heard it in his voice.

They stood there as Vin consumed part of the rabbit. He wasn't hungry, but he wasn't going to argue with Ezra. "We need to get going!" pointing with the rabbit haunch in the direction he wanted to take.

Ezra smiled to himself in the darkness. "I shall saddle our horses, if you will wake Mr. Wilmington."

Vin nodded. Turning he went back to where Buck lay and toed him in the foot. "Buck, we need to get going." His voice was soft, noise carried in the desert night air.

Buck threw his blanket back, sat up on an elbow, his voice low. "Damn Vin, I was just about to go upstairs with that new little dark haired gal." That wasn't what he had been dreaming about, but he wasn't about to tell Vin about the nightmare he been in with Chris being burned alive screaming he was blind. Buck ran a hand over his dark hair, took his hat from where it laid and set it on his head as he came to his feet. In the dark he could see Ezra saddling Vin's horse, he didn't say anything and walked over and started saddling his own.

Vin had picked up the coffee pot as he had walked back to the fire. He poured another cup of coffee for Buck, then refilled his own, speaking softly. "Ezra, more coffee?"

"Thank you, but no." Came Ezra's soft response.

"Buck I got you a cup…" Vin spoke this as he scraped up dirt with his boot and covered the small fire. Then he poured the rest of the coffee and grounds over the dirt. This way there would be no smoke and the wet dirt would keep the fire from coming back to life.

They gathered around the small fire ring, Vin handed Buck the coffee he had poured for him, Ezra handed Vin's horse's reins to him then bent and took the coffee pot and packed it in the saddle bag with his cup. He noted that the half eaten rabbit was on top of the fire ring but didn't say anything; at least Vin had eaten half.

"Good morning for a show down." Buck look in the direction of the ever increasing light in the sky.

"We'll have the morning sun at our backs." Vin finished his coffee and put his cup and plate in his saddle bag. He checked his cinch and then stepped back to the other two. "I'm thinkin' that they're going to be a little tired, waiting for us to show all night long, and I'm thinking they don't have a distance rifle. That was a close kill."

Buck finished his coffee. "Well I say lets ride."


	6. Chapter 6

Chris knew his head hurt, but something was keeping the pain from registering. Moving, he was moving. He felt something touch his lips and then he was told to drink. It was bitter but it spread warmth into his body like he had never felt before. A warm numbing sensation washed through his brain as a bottle was again placed to his lips, he drank, he obeyed. This washed the bitter taste away, it was whiskey. He raised a hand to his head, felt the bandages there

"Leave them be…" a soft voice spoke to him

He dropped his hand down. He didn't want to but he felt compelled to do as he had been told.

The soft voice spoke again; he felt her body brush against his bare arm. "Do you love me…?"

"Yes…" he answered without hesitation. He still felt like he was on the outside looking in, like he had stepped outside his mind, outside himself..

He could feel the early morning sun against his back. His mind was trying to clear. He thought he could…no, his mind went blank.

She glanced over at him smiling, seeing the drug starting to take effect again. She knew in the beginning she would have to keep him drugged, but she knew he would come to love her as he once had. Reaching up, she pulled the veil from in front of her face and pushed it back over, behind her head.

Ella Gains smiled. He belonged to her now. She had sacrificed everything for him, to make him come to her but he had been stubborn. It had angered her at first, but she had devised another plan to bring him back to her.

His family had been killed, and he had not sought her out. She had even married a rich rancher, getting him to buy her blooded horse stock and he had died so unexpectedly, she had played the proper mourning wife. Making sure her story and picture got into the papers, but he had still not come to her. And so, she had concocted an elaborate story about a Mining Baron who was trying to force her into marrying him so he could get her land for mining. She had gone to Chris, seeking him out. She had kept tabs on where he was, and she had gone to him at a vulnerable time, the third anniversary of his precious wife and son's death.

He had come to rescue her, and she set the rest of her plan into motion. Ella had offered Chris her ranch, herself and all her dead husband's money. Chris had decided to stay, even against Bucks reminding him of what life had been like with her before. He was going to stay.

And it had almost worked until that tracker he traveled with, had started asking all kinds of questions around town. But she had set it up, all six of them would die in a ambush…But they hadn't and that tracker, he had followed her, but she had given him the slip. She didn't go to the surrounding towns. They didn't think that a lady like her would go into the wilderness, but she did and she knew where she could hide out…and she did, she waited and planned…

She had taken the money she had stashed in a dozen different banks and moved to San Francisco for awhile. She had sent him the picture of them at the bottom of the stairs in the parlor, him dressed in the tuxedo she had had made for him. It fit him perfectly, and he had looked so handsome. And he would look handsome in it again…She knew he loved her, after all he hadn't pulled the trigger, he had let he go.

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Vin drew Peso to a halt. His eyes scanned the rocks. He thought he had seen movement. The sun was just coming up and it was a clear day, they cast long shadows in front of them. He knew that at this time of the morning with the sun directly behind them they would be hard to see. Another few minutes and they were going to loose the advantage. He stepped off Peso; he was with-in rifle range for him. He walked around to the right side of the horse and pulled the old Sharps out of the rifle scabbard. "You two keep riding."

He didn't look at either of them as he reached for Peso's left rein, pulling the horse's head to the left and using the barrel of the rifle he touched Peso's right foreleg, the horse folded and laid down on his right side, laying still as he had been trained to do. Vin slowly moved into position, stretched out across his horse, rifle propped in his hands, his body across the left side of the saddle and he drew a bead on where he had seen the movement.

All of this had been done in less then a minute and Vin knew that with the sun at their backs, directly shinning across at who ever was waiting to ambush them, they would not be able to see what he had done. He drew in a shallow breath, sighting down the barrel of the Sharps 50, waiting. He saw both Ezra and Buck start to widen the distance between them, as they continued to ride toward the rocks.

Vin drew in another breath and held it, knowing his target was going to show. He felt the calm come over him, felt the beat of his heart slow, the pain in his side disappeared as he focused in on what he needed to do. His eye focused in on the gun sight and his target and he saw the puff of smoke from the other rifle and he squeezed off his shot. The boom from the Sharps drowned out the report of the other gun. Vin saw the figure in the distance rise and fall.

Normally he would of just spoken to Peso and stepped into the saddle as the horse got to his feet. But with the pain in his side he decided it was best to let the horse up and step into the saddle. He slowly got to his knees, seeing Buck and Ezra waiting for him. He came to his feet as Peso got to his and slipped the sharps back into the scabbard. He walked around the horse and stepped into the saddle. He sent Peso on toward the rocks, his side was hurting, he felt hot and tired.

He caught up to Ezra and Buck, who had slowly, began to close the gap between them.

"Damn fine shot Vin." Buck took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes on the spot that they had seen the figure fall too, Buck took a long look at Vin, seeing the paleness of his skin. Buck let his eyes drift over to Ezra, seeing the same worried look on his face that he felt. He put his hat back in place and they slowly started toward where the buzzards were starting to gather again.

They rode forward cautiously.

The Buzzards circled a dead horse, from the looks of him he had been shot. The body about ten feet from the dead horse was a fake, looked like a blanket had been stuffed into a shirt and a pair of pants, there was a hat laying on the neck of the shirt. Vin told Buck to keep an eye on where he had seen the man that he had shot fall. He had Ezra scanning the rocks above. Vin stepped off his horse and looked at the dead horse, "One, two days from the looks of it." Horse had been ridden to where it had been shot. The saddle and bridle had been removed. "Buck, any movement?"

"No." Buck's kept his attention on the spot where the body had fallen. He could see a sleeved arm, homespun material.

"Ezra?" Vin's eyes were looking at the tracks around the dead horse.

"Just the buzzards Mr. Tanner, just the buzzards." Ezra moved to shift in the saddle, he let his gaze shift to another spot, deeper in the rocks. He narrowed his vision. There was a dark spot amongst the rock, looked like a cave. "If my vision is accurate, I do believe there is a cave."

Vin turned and looked at where Ezra was pointing at. He turned back to his saddle and pulled the glass out, looking up at the cave. He dismissed it because there was no way to get to the cave that wouldn't involve a ladder or rope; he scanned the rest of the rock. "No way to get to it, Ezra." He turned his attention back to the horse, pointing at it with the glass in his hand. "that's the horse we tracked from Four Corners." Vin moved back toward the dead horse and the fake body. "They's only one set of boot prints around the horse, lead to where the body is." Vin stepped back to his horse, put the glass away and gathered up the reins and started walking toward the body. It was about 500 feet to the rocks and the body.

Ezra and Buck remained mounted, they followed Vin. Ezra still keeping an eye on the rocks and Buck kept looking around where Vin was headed. The Buzzards had gone higher.

Vin pulled the hog-leg, something didn't feel right he had a shell in the chamber so he didn't have to cock it. He dropped the reins on Peso and ground tied the horse.

The rock formation was the dark stone with all the pock marks. He'd heard it called Lava, from volcanoes. He'd seen places that had steam rolling up out of them, but the concept of hot melted rock just didn't set right with him. He knew about making gun metal out of iron ore, but he just couldn't grasp the larger picture, a whole mountain full of hot rock…

He was close enough now. He saw the Sharps 50 caliber lying just above the body. He watched as a slight breeze lifted the hair on the body, it was long and strawberry-blond. Vin stopped dead in his tracks. The shape of the body was wrong, it wasn't a man laying there, it was woman, and he knew she was dead.

Vin felt a flush run through his body. He forced himself to look away from the body and take the small camp site in. He heard Buck dismount and start toward him.

"Vin, it's a woman…"

"I know Buck, don't go into the camp…let me---"

"You shot a woman!" He came to stand turned toward Vin, not quite in front of him, more to the side.

Before Vin could respond Ezra's voice cut in. "Mr. Wilmington…I believe she also shot at us, and it is possible it was she that shot Mr. Tanner." He saw Buck's brown eyes look at him, saw the anger fade.

Buck turned and started toward the body.

Vin reached out and touched him on the arm. He didn't grab him, just touched him briefly. He waited until Buck turned toward him. "Let me walk the camp, I been set up 'afore, don't aim to do it again." Vin wanted to look for tracks, see if he could find the second set of horse tracks they had come across.

Buck's face suddenly showed anger again. "What the hell does that---?"

Out of the corner of his eye Vin saw the flash off metal the same time he saw the puff, it was up in the rocks to their left. "Down!" He launched himself toward Buck, throwing the large man to the ground as the boom echoed. He had time to see Buck's startled expression as he threw his body into him. Vin heard Ezra's Remington fire and then he was on the ground, trying to roll and get a shot off with the Winchester. He did it one handed, the gun an extension of his fingers. He fired at where the puff of smoke had come from and he squeezed the trigger. The kick-back from the short barreled rifle brought his hand up and back and he almost hit Buck in the head as Buck scrambled to get a shot off. They both heard another shot fired from above.

Vin rolled away from Buck, for two reason, one to give Buck a chance to get his gun out and head for cover and second to re-cock the Winchester. He had a fleeting glimpse of Ezra scrambling for cover and firing again. Vin saw Ezra stopped in his tracks and spin backwards and down to the ground. Vin rolled to a kneeling position and started to get to his feet, his attention on Ezra.

Buck had gotten his Colt SSA clear and fired as he saw the figure rise up and take aim at Vin. He saw the figure twist and fall. The rifle that the figure had went off. The bullet went into the sky. The figure tumbled from the rocks, spiraling downward. There was a sickening thud.

Vin still kneeling, looked at Buck. "You ok?"

Buck nodded, "Yeah." He got to his feet, looking over at Ezra.

Vin followed his gaze and saw that the gambler was now sitting with his back against the rocks he had hidden behind. His left leg was stretched out in front of him. The right was doubled up under him.

Vin got to his feet slowly, his side hurt like hell. "Buck, check out the bodies, I'll check out Ezra…"

Buck nodded and headed toward the last attacker.

Vin holstered the hog-leg and headed over to Ezra. Vin could feel the warmth of blood spreading down his hip, he knew he had ripped the stitches.

He pressed his elbow in against his jacket, hoping the blood would not be visible.

Vin stepped up to Ezra. He didn't see any visible blood, but Ezra's face was an ashen color, his eyes were closed, he was breathing. "Ezra, where you hurt?" Vin started to hunker down but his side said no, he kneeled at Ezra's side.

"Ezra?" Vin reached out and touched his shoulder. "Ez…You ok?" He could see no blood.

Ezra forced his eyes open. He blinked a couple times and focused in on Vin's worried face. "Mr. Tanner, my name is Ezra, not Ez…" He winced. "And no, I am unsatisfactory, I have been shot!" He drew in a ragged breath. "I have been shot in the breast…I am seeing my life pass before my very eyes!"

"You hit?" It was then that Vin noticed the hole in Ezra's dark colored waist length jacket. Vin panicked, it was right over Ezra's heart. Vin's hands clawed at the jacket, there was no blood. Vin's hands felt something on the inside of the jacket, there was a wetness. He pulled the jacket open, seeing the flask that Ezra kept. He pulled it from the inside coat pocket and saw what had saved the gamblers life. The flask had taken the bullet. It was lodged in the center of the flask, brandy was slowly leaking from where the bullet had penetrate. "You're one lucky man Ezra, one lucky man." He held the flask in front or the gamblers eyes.

Ezra green eyes focused in on the flask. "What?" His eyes fluttered. "I am not dying?" His hand went to his chest, he felt the wetness against his vest, he pulled his hand away, expecting to see blood, but there was no blood, just the pungent smell of good brandy. He snatched the flask. "Good Lord, what a barbarian…" His shocked eyes looked up at the laughing Tanner.

Vin shook his head and got to his feet. He looked over the rocks, seeing Buck still over by the body that had fallen from above. Vin looked down at Ezra, seeing the gambler twisting the cap off the flask and taking a long drink from it. Vin stepped away, heading for Buck.

Buck had turned the body over, the man had landed on the rocks, face first. There wasn't much of his face left. He had gone through the dead man's pockets. He didn't find much, except four gold double eagles, he also noted that the pair of handguns the man had strapped on were low on his legs and tied down. He'd been a gunfighter. A Remington Revolving rifle lay shattered against the rock.

Vin stepped to his side. "Whoa…" His face showed the reaction to the man with no face left. "Find anything with a name on it?" He looked at the rest of the body. "New store bought shirt, new tan dungarees." He glanced at Buck, who held out the gold coins. "He was hired?" Vin's voice was more of a question then a statement.

Buck shuffled his feet. He glanced at Vin, a sigh escaped from his chest. "Yeah, but by who?" He glanced farther over his shoulder. "Ezra ok?" His brown eyes came back to rest on Vin's blue ones.

"Yeah, he was lucky, but his brandy flask didn't survive." Vin raised an eye brow, smiled and then turned and walked over toward the other body. He knew Buck was following him. He studied the tracks. Seeing two distinct sets, he recognized the small ones. Those were the ones that had been around the dead horse. He hadn't looked at the boots of the faceless man, but he had a feeling that the boot marks over the smaller ones would match.

Vin kneeled down and looked at the body that lay face down on the ground. The first thing he noticed was that there were two bullet wounds. One was a small bullet, there was a lot of blood around it. It had been a slow death. The second, a larger caliber had not bled. He didn't raise his head to look at Buck as he spoke. "I didn't kill her." He let out a sigh. "That's probably where our faceless friend over there got four coins. I think he hired these two that ambushed Chris in town." Vin gently rolled the body over. The facial features were close enough that the boy in town could be a brother. She'd been dead at least a day. The shirt she wore was home spun

Buck sighed. "Looks like the boy was her brother." He saw the resemblance, he saw Vin nod. "So they get paid half to take out Chris, then meet our faceless friend out here, he kills her to leave no witness?"

Vin got to his feet and stared down at the body. He glanced at Buck. "But who hired him?" He gestured with his head back over toward the faceless man.

"Gentlemen…" Ezra stepped up to them. "Where is our faceless friend's horse?"

"Good question…" Vin turned and started walking away.

"Mr. Tanner." Ezra's voice had an edge to it.

Vin stopped and turned toward Buck and Ezra.

"I suggest you let Mr. Wilmington look for the horse, while we tend to you!" Ezra pointed to Vin's side. There was a trail of blood running down Vin's pants leg.

Buck had found the second riders horse, a tall sorrel with flaxen mane and tail. The horse was well bred, built for speed. Buck had led the horse back around the pile of rocks to where the camp had been set up. He went through the saddle bags as Ezra threatened Vin.

"Mr. Tanner, if you persist in this behavior I will have Mr. Wilmington restrain you." His green eyes glared at Vin's blue one's.

Vin looked down at his side. "Damn Ezra, it hurts!" Most of the stitches in his side had ripped. Just the breeze going across his skin was making him hurt, let alone Ezra trying to clean the re-opened wound.

Ezra looked at the still bleeding wound. He swallowed hard and looked at Vin's pale face. He straightened from his crouch and glanced at Buck.

Buck saw the look. He had found nothing in the one saddle bag. He stopped what he was doing and walked over to where Vin was laying on the bedroll. He looked down at the inflamed, bleeding gash in Vin's side. He winced, looked at Vin's pale face, seeing those blue eyes glaring back at him.

Vin looked between Ezra and Buck. "Bind it and lets ride, we got ta backtrack that sorrel."

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Nathan and Josiah had searched all over for JD and Chris. No one had seen either of them. Matilda found JD early the next morning. She had knocked on the door. Hearing something muffled, she opened the door to see a huge snake writhing on the floor. Screaming, she ran for the stairs.

Nathan was at the clinic when one of the Taylor boys come running up the stairs. "Mr. Jackson, you got to come quick…They found JD…"

"Where?" He started running after the boy.

"In the boarding house…" The boy called over his shoulder. "Next to Mr. Larabee's room. A smile touched his lips. "Pa said he was trussed up like a sausage…" The boy started to laugh. "Matilda thought he was a snake." The laughter erupted from the boy, slowing his running.

Nathan bolted past him, seeing Josiah's massive frame disappearing into the front of the building. Nathan saw Mary Travis coming out of the Clarion, heading toward the rooming house. He leaped up onto the boardwalk and in two strides was through the door and heading for the stairs. He took them two at a time. Leaping onto the floor of the hallway he saw a group gathered around the entrance to the room. The group parted as Nathan came to them. He stepped into the room.

Mr. Taylor was helping JD to his feet. Josiah was on the other side. Nathan saw what looked like the top blanket; it was still curled at his feet. It looked like it had been wrapped around him. There was a hell of a bruise on the left side of his neck. Nathan grabbed a chair and put it under JD. "Sit down now…" He looked around the room. Seeing the water pitcher he reached for it and the glass next to it. He filled the glass with water, replaced the pitcher and handed the glass to JD, who greedily took and drank it.

Josiah looked at Mr. Taylor. "Who rented this room?"

"Gonna have to look to be sure, but I think it was a woman. Said she was traveling through, only be here a couple days at the most. Said she been traveling to Denver to bury her husband."

"She wore a vail…" JD had finished the water. He was letting Nathan look at the knot on his head. He tried to look at Josiah and Nathan at the same time. "I think it was her.."

Nathan looked at the brown eyes. "Who?"

"That woman that tried to kill us, that Ella Gains…" He put a hand to the back of his head and felt the knot.

"You sure?" Josiah moved away from the chair to look at JD's face.

"I didn't get a good look at her face, but her voice was the same…I'm pretty sure it was her. I usually don't forget people who try to kill us." Then it came to him that he had been standing in front of Chris's room when she had hit him. "Where's Chris?"

It was Nathan that spoke. "We don't know, we couldn't find either of you…"

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Ella Gains had what she wanted, Chris Larabee in her bed. She had chosen this town because it was lawless and no one asked your business. She had bargained for a small adobe house, some time ago, on one of the back streets. She had used the place off and on for about six months as she brought her plans and ideas into motion.

She had gotten Chris out of the buggy and into the cool recesses of their home. She had eased off the drug just a little. She had washed and shaved him. He was lying on the bed dressed in a white shirt. She had always thought he looked good in a white shirt. She had changed the head dressing but not the bandages on his eyes.

She had changed from the black dress and veil into a silk dress. It was blue with white stitching in a swirl design. Chris had always said she looked good in blue. It was V necked and she wore a pearl necklace a gentleman had given her in San Francisco while she had been there. She had piled her reddish brown hair up high on her head, letting a few locks trail down.

She walked to the edge of the bed and pulled a chair up to it. Sitting down, she reached out and took his hand. "It's going to be alright dear…you'll see…You just need a little time is all, a little time to remember who you really loved. I still have a lot of money and when you're well we can find that horse ranch you've always wanted, or travel…You never were one for staying in one place for to long…" she reached up and touched the side of his cheek, then pushed back a stray lock of hair that was standing up. Reaching over to the side chest next to the bed she took the dark colored bottle off the table and took the spoon that had been lying with it. She un-corked the bottle and poured a small amount into the spoon and then put the cork back in the bottle and placed it back on the table. Then very carefully she leaned forward and playing her thumb across his lips, she parted his bottom lip and spooned the liquid into his mouth.

Her smile went a little crooked, her eyes shone. "This will make you feel better…I know I really don't need it to have you love me…But I remember how upset you were when we parted…I know it's hard for you right now to know how much I have done for you…but you will someday appreciate it." She ran a hand down his chin, neck and to his chest and then to onto the fine linen shirt she had brought for him. She let her hand caress the firmness of his chest.

Chris could hear her, could feel her hands on him. He wanted to reach up and grab her by the throat and kill her, but the thought kept slipping away. His arms didn't want to respond to his commands. He tried to fight her when she asked him to do things, but he couldn't. Some part of him, some part of him that he despised, was doing these things, doing as she commanded.

He felt her hands caressing his upper body, she opened the shirt that she had told him to put on and, like a little child, he had obeyed her. His head ached behind his bandaged eyes. They were throbbing, with flashes of color bursting in the center of his blindness. He wanted to scream as he felt her lay down next to him, covering her mouth with his. She kissed him deeply and he felt her hands exploring his body.

"Oh my, is this where you were shot…." She whispered that into his ear as she ran her hand over his left side, her fingers tracing over his ribs where the pink colored new flesh was still healing. She looked back down at the length of their bodies lying together. "My dear, you feel a little warm." She reached up and touched his flushed cheeks. She sat up, looking down at his face, his eyes looking straight ahead. "Well I guess it has been a long ordeal… Yes… I guess you should rest for a bit…" She smiled at him. "No dearest…My sweet Chris…you rest for awhile…I'll get some supper and after we eat we can sit by the fire and I will read to you.."

He felt her move away from him. He didn't think he was responding to her conversation, his mind was muddle. It's like there were two Chris in his head, the one trapped and the one that was responding to her commands and he couldn't get the Chris that was responding to stop. He felt her move away from him and then she was back.

"I know you would like some water." She gently reached behind his head and lifted, putting the water glass to his lips."

Chris felt the water hit his lips and it was like a breath of air entered into him. He drank the whole glass of water. He could feel coolness spreading though his body.

"Whoa…stud…don't want you to water log yourself…" She laid his head back to the pillow and gently touched the side of his face. "Sleep… Sleep now my dear, I have a long night planned for us..."

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

"Vin are you sure about this…" Buck was standing next to Vin who was sitting in the saddle. Vin's face was white as a sheet, even his lips looked as pale as the rest of him.

Vin looked down at him. "Purgatory is closer then Four Corners. The tracks are leading that way." Vin looked off into the distance. "And if they ain't killed him, there's a Doc there." He looked back at Buck. "I can get patched up while you two ask around…"

He had gotten Ezra to bind the wound, it was still seeping. He had told Buck that he figured they could follow the trail the sorrel had come from, and he wasn't going back until he found out who had hired the killer.

Ezra turned in the saddle and looked at them. "How much farther?"

Ezra was past worrying about Vin. He had seen how much blood he had lost. He wanted to get him someplace and get him treated. And if there was a Doctor in Purgatory, Ezra was quite sure the man would be an expert in bullet wounds.

Vin looked at the sun in the sky. "Maybe 'nother hour." He looked slowly over at Ezra, who was looking at Buck.

Buck stepped back to his horse and stepped into the saddle, Vin had put him back on the tracks after he lost them in a sandy wash. He took the lead and followed the tracks up out of the wash and toward Purgatory. He really didn't want to go there, but it was closer.

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Chris Larabee's caged mind was screaming. He wanted nothing more then to throw Ella to the floor and kill her. But, as much as he wanted to do it, he couldn't. He had eaten as she had told him to do. She had dressed him in the suit and, as she hummed a waltz, she led him around the room. He had tried after eating to disobey her and had had a little success. He had actually turned his head from her as she had gone to kiss him, and had tired to not drink the liquid she immediately produced and forced into his mouth. He had felt the bitterness on his tongue, then there was a rush of heat and he felt that little glimmer of hope start to disappear and his will was once again taken from him. That small spark of hope died. She had told him that she would start increasing the dose.

He could hear the craziness in her voice. And try as he might when she told him to kiss her, he did…he fought and lost, he kissed the woman that had killed his wife and child.

Ella felt his hand at her waist, her other hand that held his didn't feel right. He wasn't holding her like he should, she stopped dancing.

He stopped.

She screamed in frustration. "Why can't you love me!" Stepping back from him, his hands dropping to his sides, she swung. It was an open-hand claw. It caught him just under the left corner of his cheek, just below the eye bandage and raked down toward his chin, leaving four long scratches welling with blood.

Chris felt the pain and stumbled back, away from where he thought she was standing. Tripping over something, he crashed to the floor and suddenly she was all over him, her fists clubbing at him. He brought his hands up to cover his head and face, curled tight into a ball and even as his inner mind screamed at him to kill her, his body would not respond.

Her fists pounded his shoulder, back, sides as she cursed at him. "Why, why won't you love me…You loved me once…Why?" She grew tired of hitting him, slowly stopping… "I loved you!" She spread her arms and wrapped them over his tense body…"I love you!" She lay weeping over the top of his body. Her fists started to uncurl and she slowly started stroking his hands, his head, his shoulder… "I'm sorry…so sorry…I do love you.." her hands kept caressing him.

Ella moved back a little, looking at his still curled up body. She saw the head wound bandage had come off. "Oh…My poor dear, that must have hurt.." She reached out and touched the top of his head. He didn't flinch, he didn't react.

"Here, come on… lets get you off the floor…come on…that's it…Come sit here…Oh look, your suit has gotten dirty…" she sat him in a chair and slowly she dusted his suit off with her hands.

When she had him presentable, she stood him up, walking with him toward the door. She didn't see the blood that had run down the side of his cheek, staining the edge of his collar and shirt. She didn't see the ripped sleeve of his suit, she just saw the man she wanted to love. They were going to go for a walk, a walk around the River, yes the Mississippi was not more then three steps from their room and she was going to show off her man.


	7. Chapter 7

"Eah…I 'member you…" He stood just a hair over five feet. A full head of white hair that stood out like the wind had blown it away from his head. He had hazel green eyes in a face that had miles of wrinkles. He was slight built, like if a hard breeze came up he might have to hang onto something to keep from being blown away. He looked frail in the oversized shirt he wore, but the hand that grasp Vin's arm and helped him up onto the table was neither frail nor weak.

He looked at the other two companions and then back at Vin. "Bounty Hunter..."it wasn't a question, his eyes narrowed slightly… "Brought me a wounded man once, had me patch him up..."

"Yeah…They shot the kid and left him for me to take care of…He wasn't wanted." Vin looked at the Doc and then to Ezra and Buck. "Ol Doc here fixed him right up…"

Doc had lifted Vin's blood stained shirt and looked at the bandages. "How old are these?" He looked at the redness above the bandage line.

Ezra shuffled. "About five hours." He glared at Vin. "Mr. Tanner here insisted on ripping the stitches out, the wound was half healed."

Doc went ahead and helped Vin pull his shirt all the way off. He then reached over and took a pair of scissors and cut the bandages away from Vin's waist. He carefully pealed the bandages from the wound.

Vin felt the flesh on his side erupt in a fire. The room swam and suddenly he was lying down, looking up at the ceiling. Doc had eased him down on the table.

"Well gentlemen…I do believe he's going to be here for awhile…" Doc looked at Buck and Ezra. Doc put Vin's legs up on the table.

"I'll stay…" Ezra turned toward Buck

"I'll stable the horses; see if anybody recognizes the sorrel." Buck turned toward the door. "I'll take a look in the cantinas and see what's new." He opened the door and headed out.

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

She was a dark haired beauty with big dark eyes. Her hair spilled down her back to her waist. Maria wore the blouse down off her shoulders. Her dark skin was smooth. She had come out of the back of the cantina and was going to go home, business was very slow tonight. It was after sun down. She heard a white woman talking and she stepped into the deep shadows of the building and waited.

They walked by, a reddish haired woman and a man. Maria didn't know the woman but she thought she recognized the man. He had bandages around his eyes, but the blond hair, the build…She knew him…it was Senor Chris…He had visited her on a couple occasions. The first time, it had been just to have her go out and seek information…The next time he had been drinking a lot, had gotten into a contest and won and she had brought him back to her place. He had money and he was very free with it…And then two friends of his had showed up and taken him away…Maria listened to the woman, she was talking like there was a river and they were walking along it as she was leading Senor Chris around and then as they got closer, she saw the blood and the scratches on his face. She waited in the dark. When they had walked farther, she stepped out and slowly followed them. She was very cautious, and several times she heard the woman talking and realized that she was either drunk or crazy. She never heard Senor Chris speak or reply to the woman and she noticed how stiff and awkward he walked. She remembered him as being lithe and fluid in his motion and very, very viral…Now he looked like a walking doll…and the woman gave him commands…

Maria saw the casa they went to. She knew it had been purchased quite awhile ago. She turned around and headed back for the closest Cantina. There were four in this town. She would go there and see if anyone knew who the red haired woman was.

Maria had no luck in the first two cantinas. She was discreet in asking her questions. She knew how fast someone asking question, could spread around in this town. This was a 'no questions asked' town. It was wide open, no law, just the fastest gun or the meanest hombre. Maria went into the third cantina and was heading toward the Ricardo the Cantina owner when she saw the cowboy standing at the bar. He turned toward her and smiled and she remembered him, he was one of the friends of Senor Chris. She smiled back at him and walked toward him, she thought she saw recognition in his eyes. "Hola, Cowboy…you buy me a drink."

Buck smiled at her. "Sure…" He signaled to the barkeep and turned back to her.

Maria looked at him. "You are friend of Senor Chris..si?"

"Why yes I am Darlin...I'm Buck Wilmington." Buck smiled at her. " And what's your lovely name?"

"I am Maria." She moved her head slightly tossing her hair over her shoulders. She leaned herself against the bar, showing her smooth soft shoulders, she was a natural flirt. "He is hurt…no?" She fixed her wide dark eyes on his.

The smile went from Bucks face. He was distracted for a moment as he paid for the drinks. "How…How on earth did you know that?" He glanced around the room, seeing if there was anyone in the room he might know.

"I see him." She saw his sudden uneasiness. She turned toward him, concern in her eyes.

"You saw Chris?" He stepped closer to her.

She looked up into his brown eyes. "Si…"

He very carefully touched her arm, lowering his voice. "Where?"

With a toss of her long hair she motioned behind her. "I see him walking with the lady…"

"With the lady?" He looked at her with puzzlement written across his face, he smiled, Maria had to have Chris mixed up with someone else. "What Lady?" His tone was soft and gentle.

"The lady who was leading him around like a dog…" She glanced away and then looked back at him. She realized, she was angry because he could have come to her, she would have helped him…

Buck laughed. "You've got him mixed up with someone else…Chris is in Four Corners…" He turned back toward the bar and started to take his drink in hand.

Maria's lips pulled down in a gesture of pout, her body straightened. She knew who she had seen, she knew Chris. She put her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed and in a hiss. "If, Senor Chris wants walk around with a crazy red haired woman who talks to herself, fine… I ---."

"What color hair?" To Buck the words red hair and crazy stuck a cord of fear. The drink forgotten he turned back toward her.

"Red… I know Senor Chris he---."

Very carefully Buck again reached out and touched her on the arm. "Where…? Where are they…?" He had to check it out... he had to know

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Chris lay stretched across the bed. His head hurt. The thought took it's time to weave in and around the drug but it made his caged mind happy.

Pain.

Pain, he could feel pain. He realized that he could feel his breathing, could feel the air going in and out of his lungs. There was a dull throb going on behind his eyes. He could smell the scent of candles.

And then he felt her touch his bare chest. He stilled his reaction, or he prayed that he did. He thought the drug was wearing off faster and faster. '_don't let her know!'_ His caged mind screamed it at him. He felt her kiss him and then felt her arms slide over his body and she was on top of him.

"Oh I've missed this body, the way you feel against my hands, the way your muscles tense." …" Ella pulled herself up his body using his shoulders for leverage. She came up even with his chest. She gently played her hands across his chest, she ran her tongue up the center of his breast bone.. She looked up toward his slack face. "I miss not looking into those green eyes of yours…the way they change colors with your moods." She moved up just slightly using one arm to prop herself up on his chest. Her fingers played with the bandages over his eyes. "I just have to see those eyes, see the love that you have for me." She started pulling the bandage up, off his eyes, slowly sliding it up to his forehead. One of the eye pads stayed, the other went up with the bandage material.

"Oh… what's this mess…" Taking the eye pad from his right eye she carefully wiped away the salve that had been put there. "You know I have always loved you, and I am not ever going to let anything ever come between us again my dear…you'll see.." She wiped his eyes clean.

"Open your eyes…That's it darlin…"

Chris blinked his eyes and saw nothing…everything a dark blur…he shut off the screaming in his caged mind, he let it go, let it slip away along with any hope of seeing…He let the drug seep into the last vestige of hope

"There now Lover…" Ella's hand reached over to the small table beside the bed she laid the bandages there and she took the small shot glass that she had set there and poured more of her potion between his lips…He belonged to her now and forever.

Slowly taking her time, she made love to him.

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Maria moved back from the window, making room for Buck to look in.

Bucked stepped back from the window and taking Maria gently by the arm, led her a few feet to the next alley. "You know where the doc's office is…?"

"Si" She whispered.

"My friends are there, tell Ezra and bring him here…"

Maria turned and hurried off, heading for the Doc's office.

Buck moved back toward the window. It was old and fly-specked stained but he could see enough to know. It was Ella and she had Chris…He also knew she was a deadly cunning woman. He didn't understand why Chris wasn't putting up a fight. He was just lying there, unmoving. He knew something had to be wrong with him. He stepped closer to the window, was Chris even alive? He moved back. Ella's head turned toward the window. The glancing look Buck had seen in her eyes ran a chill down his spine, she was crazy. He moved back into the shadows, away from the light of the window. He stood there waiting to see her shadow, but it didn't come. Buck decided to move toward the other window, on the opposite side of the door. As he walked by the door he saw light coming from under the door jam. He saw a shadow cross it. He froze where he stood, waiting, nothing happened.

Buck let the breath out he'd been holding. He checked the bottom of the door again looking for any kind of movement. He saw nothing. Moving to the other window, very carefully, he looked inside. Chris was still splayed out across the bed, still on his back. Buck could see his chest raise and fall, Chris was alive. Buck couldn't see Ella from this position. He moved back, stepping away from the window.

"Buck?" Ella's soft voice came from behind him.

Buck spun around, he saw two things, Ella was standing there naked as the day she was born and she held Chris' Colt.

Ella pulled the trigger on the colt and it shot flame out. She saw the shock on Bucks face. He had expected her to talk to, to say something more to him. Her lips turned up in a twisted smile as he fell backwards. She turned and stepped back into the house, quietly closing the door. She went to her clothes and quickly dressed. Her mind racing, how did they find her? If Buck was here, where were the others…? Foot steps did she hear…? She stepped to the bed, looking down at Chris…Yes, she heard footsteps…the others were here…Ella knew she couldn't move fast enough with Chris to get away.

She stood for one long moment, looking down at him; she bent and kissed him. Turning, heading for the other door she fled into the night. There would be another day…another time…

Maria had knocked on the Doc's door and stepped in. Sitting in a chair at Doc's desk she saw a well dressed man with chestnut colored hair and green eyes, he had a deck of cards in his hand.

Doc, his white hair standing out from his head as usual, was over at one of his examining tables and was wrapping a bandage around the waist of a man she had seen occasionally in Purgatory, although he usually didn't look as pale. He had been a hunter, both of man and beast. Maria also knew he was a wanted man and he was a friend of Senor Chris'. She saw all three sets of eyes on her, but she looked at the man on the table. "Ezra?" She could see that his blue eyes were a little glassy, she saw the bottle of Laudanum.

Ezra stilled the deck in his hands and looked at the woman. "Yes?" He saw her look from Vin to him, seeing the slight surprise in her large dark eyes.

"I am Maria, Senor Buck…He ask me to bring you to him."

"Why?" Vin's soft raspy voice spoke the question Ezra was starting to form.

She looked back at Vin. "Senor Chris needs help…"

"Chris is here?" Vin put a protective arm around his ribs and moved away from the doc and off the table to stand on wobbly legs. "Why would Chris be here."

A shot rang out.

Vin's hand gathered up the sawed off Winchester 73. "Take us to him!" He moved toward Maria, "Doc…You best come along…Might rip these new stitches out."

They followed Maria out the door.

Vin made it about half way across town to where Maria was leading them. He had been trying to keep up at the trot they were moving at but he stumbled and all most fell. Ezra's strong arm kept him from going down.

They all stopped.

Vin bent over, his arm to his side, trying to breath enough air in to keep from passing out. "Go…on… I'll follow ya…" His voice was breathy and strained.

Ezra didn't hesitate. He nodded, turned and, with Maria leading, disappeared around a building.

Vin saw the doc was going to stay with him. He straightened as best he could and started walking in the direction that Ezra and the woman had gone off in.

Maria led Ezra to the alleyway just before the house. She came to a stop, her voice a whisper. "The Casa...is here…" She pointed, indicating around the corner. "I left Senor Buck right here…"

Ezra pulled one on his Remington's from his shoulder holster. He stepped to the edge of the building and looked around the corner where Maria had pointed. There was an adobe house. The windows showed light. He could make out the frame of a door. Very carefully he slid around the corner, hugging the wall. He looked quickly back over shoulder and saw Maria was looking at him. Ezra came off the wall and headed into the alleyway. He was trying to keep an eye on both the windows and the door. He was about half way when he heard a low moan. He stepped closer to where the sound came from and, peering into the darkness, saw a figure on the ground in the shadows, almost beneath the window.

Ezra stepped to the window, looking at the figure on the ground. He quickly glanced in through the window and then looked again. Chris Larabee was lying on his back in a big bed. There were candles all around. The silk sheet came to just about his hip bones, he was bare chested. His eyes were open, but unblinking.

There was a moan again.

Ezra bent down closer, letting his eyes adjust to the deep darkness. It was Buck.Ezra reached down and touched Bucks chest, feeling something warm and sticky he straightened back up and looked at his hand in the light, it was bloody. Ezra took another look inside the window and turned and headed for the door. He carefully tried the latch, it opened. He stepped into the door way, sweeping the room with his eyes and his gun.

Ezra heard noise and looked back over his shoulder. A horse was racing toward him and a Banshee was riding it. A guttural growl that was escalating into a high pitched scream was issuing from a mouth that was opened with the lips pulled back, showing all her teeth in a feral snarl. Ella was wearing a white duster with a cowl over her head and as she came streaking between the house and the next wall her hand leveled downward, in front of her as she took aim at the figure in the light..

Ezra saw the gun and started to raise his own.

The boom of a Winchester going off echoed in the night air.

The gun in Ella's hand exploded. There was a scream and then she was past the house and around the next wall, the horse never missing stride.

Ezra stood framed in the door, the candlelight behind him, looking at Vin as he stepped away from the wall, stepping into the light that shined from the doorway. His face was turned in the direction that Ella had vanished into.

Ezra saw the Doc come around the corner of the wall, with Maria behind him. "Buck's been shot…" He gestured toward the darkened corner under the window. "Chris is in here." He gestured back over his shoulder.

Ezra went to Buck with the Doc, Vin and Maria went into the room to Chris.

Ezra and the Doc lifted a half conscious Buck to his feet and half-walked-, half-dragged him into the house. They placed him on the big oak table that was in the side room.

Vin stood looking down at Chris. His green eyes were blank. He was breathing. The deep scratches on the right side of his face stood out angry and reddened. Vin moved his arm from protecting his ribs and touch Chris' wrist, feeling for a pulse. "Blink damn you…" He growled it under his breath.

Chris blinked.

Vin saw the blink. "Blink your eyes." He said it a little louder.

Chris blinked his eyes. "What the hell---."

Maria had stepped to the other side of the bed. She saw the bandages and the shot glass. She picked the glass up and sniffed the slightly amber colored contents. Then taking a little finger she touched the liquid and touched it to her tongue. Making a face, she looked at Vin. "It is Coca with Anis and the demon berry…"

"Vin looked over at her. "What?"

'Is a very bad thing." Maria gave him a long look, not knowing how to explain what the mixture was or what it did. "He will do what you tell him, he is… how you say…andar quando muerta."

"Walking dead?" Vin knew a little Spanish. He looked back at Chris.

"Permisso Senor…" Maria took a step closer to Chris.

"Senor Chris…sit up!" her voice was a command.

Vin dropped Chris' wrist as he moved to sit up in bed.

"He has been drugged…" Maria moved to stand next to him. "I have seen this before; it takes your soul…" She reached out and lovingly touched Chris on the shoulder. Her big dark eyes showed tears. "He will be very sick…"

Doc walked out of the other room. "Your friend wants to see you…It's a shoulder wound, went straight through… What have we got here?"

Vin saw Maria turn to the old Doc and in Spanish explained what was going on. Vin walked into the room with the big table and saw Ezra, helping Buck put his shirt on. Vin had a feeling that Buck looked as peaked as he did. Vin gave a half smile.

Ezra's eyes went to Vin. "Mr. Wilmington says that it was Ella Gains."

Vin had not seen the woman's face, as she had streaked by so fast. Vin still protecting his side looked down at the floor and then at Buck and Ezra.

Buck winced as he got the shirt pulled on. "Ezra said you shot the gun out of her hand?"

Vin's face flushed, he looked back down at the floor, then looked back at Buck and Ezra… anger at himself in his blue eyes. "Pain and that stuff the Doc gave me got's my aim off… I was aiming for the body…" He looked down again, not wanting to see their eyes.

Ezra broke the silence. "Well Mr. Tanner, if it hadn't been for you, she'd have shot me for sure… So Thank You." Ezra saw him look up at him, but the pain didn't go out of his eyes. They all wanted that woman dead for what she had done to Chris. "How's Chris?" Ezra changed the subject.

Vin looked over his shoulder. "Maria says he's been drugged, something about Coca, Anis and demon berry---"

"That Bitch!"

Vin stepped back, startled by Ezra's out burst.

Both Vin and Buck stared at him.

Ezra recovered himself. "I have never used it, but I have seen its affects… I saw it used on an Oriental woman once, a few years ago, in Carver Bay. It makes you mindless, you will do anything you are told to do…it's very poisonous. Do we know how much he has been give?"

"No, doc's looking at him now…" Vin waited until Buck got off the table with Ezra's help and they walked into the other room.

Vin looked at his two companions. "We need to get out of here and get some place safe…She ain't dead, she might be back…"

The three of them walked out to see Maria sitting on the bed behind Chris, she was supporting him. The Doc was looking into Chris' eyes. They saw that Chris had been dressed. Black trousers, a white shirt.

"He has eye trouble?" The little man did not look around; he was closely examining Chris eyes."

It was Ezra that spoke. "Yes, he was shot there in the temple…He had sight but it was blurry and then he had no sight…"

The Doc finished his exam. He helped Maria lay him back on the bed and nodded to Maria. "We will have to watch him carefully…he is going to be very, very sick…We will try to wean him…smaller and smaller amounts, but it will help little…The body craves the drink…"

Vin shuffled his feet, his side was aching. "We're gonna need some place to hole up…Some place---"

"You come to my Casa…it is safe." Maria moved a little from the bed. "Come you see… it is big…"

Vin saw the Doc nod and look at them. "She is correct…You will not be bothered there…"

Ezra looked to Vin. Vin looked at Buck. Buck looked at Maria. "Is it far?" He wanted to find some place close, he wanted to sit or lie down.

"It is not far." Maria turned to Doc. "Come we take Senor Chris." She moved back to the bed and touched Chris on the arm. "Senor Chris, get up, stand."

Three hardened men felt their stomachs knot as they saw their friend do as he was commanded.

Chris felt for the edge of the bed and rolled to his feet. He stood there, lifeless, his face slack.

Maria reached out and took him by the hand and started to walk off, leading him. He followed quietly.

Doc stepped to the table next to the bed and looked around. "You go with Maria…I look for drug…" He turned and looked at the three men, seeing their pain for the comrade. "I do not have these ingredients…we will need them… and need them soon."

Maria led them all out into the alleyway. She went carefully, making sure there were no spying eyes. She went along the adobe wall and then turned toward the next alley and they followed it for quite awhile to the east end of the town. From there, she moved toward a large adobe wall. It was a large Hacienda. There was a large carved wooden gate, there she stopped. She unlatched the gate and pushed it open.

Vin, Ezra and Buck stood looking at her. Surprise on both Buck and Vin's face, Ezra had dollar signs in his eyes.

"My…My…Will wonders never cease…" He smiled at Maria as he walked into the large patio area. The house was dark, but its magnificence could still be seen even in the moonlight. "You are definitely a woman of mystery… and surprise."

Maria's eyes were even larger and darker in the moonlight, she flashed a smile that showed white teeth. "Senor...sees what he thinks he sees…" She shut and latched the gate. "It is no mine…. Belongs to a friend…"

Vin looked the place over in the dark… under his breath he mumbled. "Some friend." Vin saw her double latch the gate. Then she took Chris by the hand and led him into the dark recesses of the entry way.

They all heard a key rattling in the door latch and then there was the smell of stale air.

"Senor Chris, stand here…"

They heard her skirts swishing and a light was struck and a lantern lit. They saw Chris standing half way in the door, his hand still held out like she was holding it, his face blank.

Vin looked down, shuffling his feet. Ezra looked away. Buck batted tears back and all three promised to kill Ella Gains.

Rooms were selected on the second floor. Buck and Ezra took rooms on either side of the one Vin installed Chris in. Maria came back up stairs with a woman about the same age, she looked like she had been sleeping. They all gathered in Vin and Chris's room.

"This is Consuelo, she and her esposo, her husband, take care of this place, he is Manuel. She will bring fresh water up for each of you and towels. You will be safe…" She nodded to Consuelo and the woman hurried off.

She lit a couple more lanterns that she had brought and set them in the alcoves around the room. It was a large room. There was a table, four wood and leather chairs, a massive dressing cabinet, two low dressers with multiple drawers and all of it was ornately carved oak wood. The bed was a huge four poster made out of the same wood and the carvings on the posts were serpents, twining their way up the posts.

Chris moved for the first time, on his own, without being commanded. His arm twitched.

Maria stepped over to him and touched his forehead. Her eyes went to Vin. "He is hot…it begins."

"What begins?" Vin stepped closer to the bed, looking down at his friend. There was a fine sheen of moisture showing across his brow. His face was beginning to look flushed.

Maria looked at all of them and then back at Chris. "He…He is …" She looked to Ezra.

His green eyes blinked. "As the drug wears off, it will begin to make the body react, making the body a living hell. If the person does not continue to take it, the reaction could get so bad that he could die."

Vin headed for the door. "I'll go see if I can help the Doc look---."

Ezra stepped forward, toward the door leading to the hallway. "I'll go…I am the only one not---"

"You're the only one who can shoot straight." Vin gave him a hard glare, slanting a glance at Buck, who was white as a sheet. His blue eyes came back to look at Ezra. He saw Ezra ponder the dilemma.

"Well I deduce this is quandary…A bit between the proverbially rock and a hard spot." He glanced at Buck, knowing that if Chris started to get worse, Maria would not be able to hold him down and Buck looked like he needed to sit down before he fell down. "Mr. Tanner, I concur. It would be in our best interest to let you find the good Doc."

Vin nodded and headed for the door.

Maria turned toward him. "Let me show you the side door. It is easier and hidden…" She went with him.

Buck stood in the middle of the room watching everything that was happening. It was a bit like he was standing over in a corner watching everything that was going on, he could see himself. He saw Ezra walk over to him and say something. He saw his head turn toward Ezra.

Ezra reached out and took Buck by the arm, seeing the washed out look cross his face. His face, if possible, seemed to go paler. "Mr. Wilmington I suggest you lay down before you fall down." Ezra headed Buck into the other bedroom. He moved him to the bed, and got him stretched out and somewhat comfortable looking. He saw him take a deep breath.

"Thanks Ez…" Buck's eyes closed as he spoke.

Ezra didn't bother to correct him. He turned and headed into the master bedroom.

He moved to the large bed. Looking down at Chris, he saw a tremble in his hand. There was a fine bead of sweat popping up on his upper lip, and across his brow the sweat was running down the side of his face. Ezra saw a towel had been placed on the edge of the bed. He picked it up and gently wiped the sweat away. He heard footsteps and glanced over his shoulder to see Maria coming back into the room with two basins. One she set to the side, the other she filled with water from the pitcher and brought over to Ezra.

Maria looked down at Chris, seeing the tremors starting to grow worse. She glanced at Ezra. "I have heard that some men loose their minds…some do not remember… some become addicted to the drug and die."

Ezra drew in a deep breath and looked over at Maria. "He is an incredible strong man. He's been through Hell before and come out on the other side, he can do it again."

Maria looked from Ezra to Chris, saying a silent prayer. She looked back at Ezra. "Senor Ezra…Are you hungry…I can have Consuelo make some food."

Ezra looked over the basin at her. "Thank you, but no..."

"Perhaps some coffee…or drink…There is a fine wine cellar and good whiskeys."

Ezra thought a moment. "Coffee would be good." He saw Maria nod and saw that Consuelo had been standing just outside the door. He saw her swiftly leave.

Vin made his way back through the alleys. He moved carefully for two reasons. First was that what ever the Doc had given him was making him a little fuzzy and second, it still hurt to move.

He was almost at the alleyway across from where Chris had been held when he heard the voice. He smiled.

"I'm telling you, we're their friends and we want to know where they are!" It was JD's voice and it had just gone up an octave, which meant he was getting frustrated.

Vin eased around the corner. The back door to the house was open, the light from inside framed three men talking to the Doc who stood in the doorway. He was surprised at the relief he felt in seeing the others.

"Hey boys…" Vin stepped away from the wall and the shadows and into the moonlight. "Good to see you." He saw three surprised faces turn toward him, Josiah, Nathan and JD. Vin saw that the Doc had a couple bottles in his hands. He stepped up closer to the foursome. He looked to Doc. "You found what ya needed Doc?" He saw the man nod. "Boys, walk with me and I'll explain what's happened. Doc here needs to get what he's holding in his hands to Chris…" He turned and led the group back the way he had come. He explained everything he knew and had their explanation on how she had gotten Chris spirited away.

As they entered in through the hidden side entrance Vin sent the others on into the house, telling them where to find Chris.

Vin moved to a spot where he could sit to wait and listen. As he sat down, he drew the hog-leg out and laid it across his lap. He felt small in the chair. It was over sized, two people could have sat in it. The evening was cooling off. The heat of day had opened up the flowers that covered the veranda and their scent was still sweet and light. Somewhere off over against the far wall something scratched at the ground for a minute, lay still, then scurried off. Off in the distance, a dog barked, echoing into the night. His side was a dull, throbbing ache that just didn't want to stop hurting, no mater how still he sat or how shallow he breathed. He sat there quietly for some time. He was leery about Ella coming back; she seemed to turn up at the most unusual times. He kept a watchful eye.

Vin heard footsteps and saw a round-bodied man come shuffling around the corner of the house. He wore a white shirt and almost white colored pants. In the moonlight that was cresting over the house, Vin could see the man wore Sapata's, an open toed sandal, on his feet. As he got nearer, he suddenly stopped and froze.

Vin was still well hidden in the darkness. He heard the sniffing of air, like a hound the man's head tilted up slightly. A small smile touched his lips. Vin saw no weapons, but he knew the man was not weaponless. .

"Names Tanner, Vin Tanner and I'm with the men inside." He saw the slow relax of the man's right shoulder. "You are Manuel?

"See Senor Tanner…" Manuel still did not move. "Maria asked me to find you. There was a slight movement of the hand, just a flash of metal.

Vin didn't move as Manuel tucked the hidden blade back into it's hiding place. "A knife?"

"Si Senor Tanner, a very thin knife." He chuckled.

Vin came to his feet, stepping into the moonlight, the hog leg held across his body.

Manuel's eyes widened a little "A magnificent gun Senor…"

"She'll do…" Vin tipped his head slightly and winked. He stepped past Manuel and around to the door. "She'll do…"

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Chris Larabee had thought he had felt pain before, but never like this. His whole body screamed. There was not one place on his skin that did not feel as if some one had placed a burning cold branding iron against it and was still holding it there. He fought the pain, He fought the hands that tried to calm him, the hands that tried to hold him and then the wonderful liquid would come and all the pain washed away. He would feel it slip into his mouth between cold, burning lips. The lips would warm, his tongue, throat, stomach would feel the warmth wash though it and it would spread through his body. And as it spread, a new fire would come, only this was a fire that did not hurt. It spread a warm numbness, unfeeling and he would slip into the nothingness.

Sometimes he dreamed. Images shifted in and out, some images he wanted to see, some he didn't. There was no pain, no hurt, just numbness. It was where he wanted to stay, but the cold pain seemed to be coming back faster and faster and the numbness shorter. He accepted the respite from the cold pain and allowed his mind to go numb.

JD was watching Buck, who was feverish. Nathan, after attending to Buck, had gotten with Doc and discussed what this strange Coco leaf was and what it did, especially mixed with the other drugs. Josiah was sitting in one of the over sized chairs and napping. It would be about another hour before Chris would waken and the struggle would begin. Ezra had retired to his room.

Vin stepped into the room. His eyes first going to the bed, seeing Chris laying in the middle of the large framed bed. There were dark circles under his eyes, his eyes were closed, his face relaxed. There was no bandage around his head and the bullet wound was stark against his forehead, a dark furrow just above his left eye. The long scratches along his cheek. Vin saw Josiah slouched in the chair.

Josiah's head was leaning against the ornately carved corner of the chair. Soft snoring sounds issued from him. Suddenly the sound changed, his eyes opened and he straightened and looked at Vin, looked over at Chris' still form and then lowered his head back into the corner and went back to sleep.

Vin saw Nathan and Doc standing in the corner, Nathan inspecting something that looked like dried leaves.

"Senor Vin?" Maria's soft voice spoke from the hallway.

Vin turned to see her standing there with a shirt and a pair of tan pants. She beckoned to him.

Vin took one more look at Chris, he was still asleep. He looked over toward Nathan. Nathan's dark brown eyes looked at him and he saw the dark head nod. He turned and headed out of the room, toward Maria.

"I think Senor that these will fit…" She held them out. "I had Consuelo lay hot water and towels out for you… If you leave your shirt and pants, Consuelo will try and get the blood out"

Vin took the clothing. He glanced back into the room and at Chris.

"Senor Chris, he is very strong, he will get well…" Maria's voice was soft, just above a whisper. "I pray he will be ok…You will see…"

Vin turned and looked at her, he studied her for a long minute. He knew Chris had come down here a couple times to blow off steam with her. He had said she had a good soul. Vin didn't think it had been her soul Chris had been interested in. He gave her nod and headed down the hallway to the room she had assigned to him, realizing suddenly how stiff and scratchy his clothing felt against his aching side.

There were several candles lit and two lanterns. He walked over to the bed, slightly smaller than the one Chris was lying in, and dropped the clean clothing on it. He walked over to the stand with the washbasin on it and reached out and touched the water pitcher. It was warm to the touch. He looked at himself in the round oval mirror behind the stand. He was surprised at the reflection. He looked tired, a little rough around the edges. His whole right side from the middle of his waist down was stained in dark ribbons. Taking the pitcher, he poured the warm water into the bowl. Stripping out of his shirt, he felt a pull at his side. Looking in the mirror at his side he saw the bandages wrapped around his waist, there was no fresh bloom of red. Taking a small towel he wetted it and cleaned the area around his bandages.

There was a knock on the door.

"Permiso… Senor Vin…" Maria's head came past the door, her long hair framing a face with large dark eyes and a pleasing smile. "Would you like something to eat? Consuelo is cooking." Her eyes widened as she saw the bandages around Vin's waist.

Vin thought a moment. "I could use something to eat, thank you ma'am"

He saw her face brighten with a smile.

"Do you need help Senor?"

"No, I got it…Thank you though." He saw her disappear, shutting the door. Vin turned back to cleaning himself up.

X7X7X7 X7X7X7X7 X7X7X7

Chris Larabee stood before a magnificent black Stallion. His coat was so black it almost looked blue. The mane and tale were long and flowing. The only white on the stallion was the blaze that ran down his face. It started just below his forelock, widened over both eyes, washed over the bridge of his face on the right side and then narrowed to come up and curl over his nostrils and narrow to a point at his upper lip. He was well muscled and lithe, quick at a cat. He moved back and forth nervously, fearfully in the round pen, prancing, rearing and shaking his head. Sending his mane tossing, he came to a halt, snorting loudly, his neck and shoulders quivered. His black eyes fixed on Chris. There was fear in those eyes.

Chris moved forward. He didn't look the horse in the eyes, but looked at his quivering shoulder. He knew the horse was afraid of something. There was something that was causing this magnificent animal to tremble He approached the horse, seeing the toss of the head and striking of hoof against earth as the horse dug at the ground. "Easy son…. Easy now…" he reached out and touched the stallion on the shoulder, feeling the soft hair and sweat against his hand, he stepped back, still looking at his hand and there was blood there.

Ella was suddenly standing in front of him. "It's your fault; their death is because I loved you…You gave me no choice… I loved you…! She reached out toward him.

" No…..!" Chris bolted up right, swinging at the figure in front of him.

Nathan ducked the round house and moved back from the bed with a leap. He heard Josiah come out of the chair behind him and, if he hadn't been there, he would have fallen.

They both stood there looking at Chris. Their heads turned as one as Vin suddenly appeared in the doorway, they had been here three days now, and the last day Chris had been quiet, sleeping.

Vin moved on into the room, JD, Buck and Ezra following him in.

They spread out around the room and the bed.

Chris was still sitting up in bed. His hands had gone to his head. He covered his eyes with his palms and had shoved his fingers into his hair. "Damn…did I tie one on? He pressed the heel of his palms to his eyes. "What a hang over…"

He dropped his hands and looked around the room. He saw the smiles start to show as he looked at each of the men gathered around him. He felt he had been sleeping too long. He looked around the room, not knowing where the hell he was. He looked back at Vin. "What the hell happened to you?" He saw a smile touch those blue eyes. He looked over at Buck, now seeing the sling he had his arm in. "And what the hell happened to you?" He looked around the room confused "What the hell is going on here?" He looked at the grinning faces.

It was Vin's soft Texas accent that broke into laughter. "Glad to **see** you too!" He chuckled.

There was a collected sigh of relief. There were looks passed back and forth, as the men gathered in closer to an even more confused Chris, as Chris saw Maria step into the room.

Chris carefully shook head in bewilderment. "I got to slow down… I'm getting too old for this…"

Vin smiled again. "It ain't the age cowboy…It's the mileage."

---Fin---


End file.
